Spoilers, Sweetie
by rupzydaisy
Summary: Not-so-little series of one shots with the Doctor and River Song. From all over time and space. Doctors. And pretty much all of the genres to some extent. Stories of Stetsons, how the Doctor saved River, adventures together, and a fair bit of running...
1. Things Never Change

_Anyway, an intro to this whole little series of one shots. Just because this is so interesting, (no one knows the real answer bout River and the Doctor, and I'm not going to be definate either!) _

_So... in some of the little chapters River is going to be the one who knows the Doctor for longer than he knows her, and in others, the Doctor knows River for longer than she knows him. Understand? It also means that the Doctor may not be the 11th or 10th Doctor, but I'll point it out._

_In this one the Doctor knows River longer than she knows him. For some reason, in this one I think it's a far off Doctor, maybe the 12th?  
I know, wibbley wobbley timey wimey. And because I don't have a TARDIS handy to translate for me: Let's go! _

* * *

Things Never Change.

She was dressed in a more practical outfit, much like himself; deigning to leave his new fez inside the safety of the TARDIS. No red dress and high heels, instead jodhpurs and heavy duty walking boots, with a warm, fur lined coat cinched in at the waist with her tool belt sporting bits and bobs he was sure he had seen before. _And wasn't that a sonic...probe? _

She pulled out the little blue and slightly battered book from one of her many pockets. "So where are we now?" River Song asked him and he frowned down at her, not understanding.

"You tell me." The Doctor replied looking around at the dense forest with its blue and silver trees which had no leaves and instead tiny little buds at the end of each branch and twigs that alternated in the two colours. The whole scenery looked like something out of a Christmas card. It stretched on for kilometres on end, the nearest village was nestled in amongst a foothill a day's walk inwards. From space, when the wind blew it looked like the entire surface rippled as the gales blew, tossing the buds over miles and miles. The natives called the phenomenon Starfall.

"Now, I'm gonna take a guess, and say, maybe the-" He began but River cut him off.

"North Slebila Forest." She replied smiling widely.

The Doctor blinked twice and then protested, "That's what I was going to say." His face was petulant and he rocked on his feet, tapped the tips of his boots onto the ground and then continued to look around.

River's smile just widened a fraction more and she strolled off towards a burnt out spaceship, which had crashed only seconds before she had arrived and about fifteen minutes before the Doctor had answered her call. The ship was large and gleaming silver where it hadn't been ripped apart upon landing and dirty black scorch marks shaded in areas where the flames had retreated.

"Holnell fuel, very flammable" The Doctor commented, sniffing the dripping liquid as it fell from the cracked and exposed piping feeding to the engine. He shook his head as he walked up behind River who was looking at the ground, stepping cautiously around the crash site.

"What we're looking for is the passenger." River said with a mysterious air as she slowly circled around the area and then looked towards a thicket of blue trees.

"And who would that be?" He questioned, biting the line she dangled before him. Curiosity was something he could never stray from, and she knew it.

River smiled sweetly back at him and replied, "A friend."

"Is there a name for your friend?" The Doctor asked while looking at the trees, they swayed lightly in the wind back and forth, few buds of silver twirled slowly to the floor.

"Well, actually he's more of an enemy." River told him and then turned back to look at the spaceship.

She pulled out her sonic screwdriver-probe and pointed it, but there was no sound. It didn't surprise him, Amy Pond had built one from scratch while she had waited for he and Rory to rescue her, and he could've put together one from scraps of bits and bobs with his eyes closed. She scanned around the caved in section that had created a new entry into the spaceship which had not been specified on the original plans, then she moved around the ship arm making sweeping movements as she scanned the forest floor.

"I think it's broken, here borrow mine. I don't understand why you like the high tech version." The Doctor tutted while offering his sonic to her.

She patted his shoulder gently, "Sweetie, it's not broken, see the light." She pressed the on button and showed him the blue light which flickered on and then off.

He saw the readout on the side functioning just fine, "Oh, but the noise?"

"I put it on mute," River replied with a flick of her golden curls.

The Doctor opened his mouth, shut it and then opened it again. "You did what?"

"Mute, sweetie. Then the circuits fused." She took in his shocked face and then grinned a little wider than before. "Oh, you can _fix_ it later." And he frowned at her.

"Why exactly did you call me here?" He demanded as she took readings from the wreck, without a sound.

"Because I hadn't seen you for a while," she replied, turning away to crouch down as she scanned a large patch of depressed earth in the shape of a three toed paw print. "Missed your ridiculous face."

"River." He used the serious tone and she turned around to face him.

"Doctor." She answered back in the same tone, mimicking him to his annoyance.

Suddenly a low, warning growl emanated from the side, way behind the thicket of trees. They blew forwards with the air pressure change and then stilled. The Doctor could feel his hearts beat faster and he knew from River's slowly spreading smile that this was only half the reason why she called him. She seemed to be doing it more lately. Calling him up from wherever he was, with or without Ponds, and dragging them all along for a new ride. And then she'd flirt, and smile and he'd flirt back, like a little game between the two of them.

"Was that your friend?" He asked her and she swivelled on the spot, pointing the screwdriver in the same direction. It flashed erratically.

"Yep." She dropped the sonic into one of her pockets on her belt and clipped it shut. Her feet shuffled a little closer towards the trees and his own followed along, like they were tied together at the start of a three legged race.

"And who is your _friend_?" He repeated the question, hoping for a straight answer.

"Enemy, prisoner...escaped prisoner." She corrected him. "He's the Gruffolim," she elaborated, turning around to gauge his reaction.

"Right." He replied, dragging the word out slowly, his forehead crinkled as he began to think. "That's why you called me."

"I was hoping to ask him nicely to return back to his cell, but after reading his files, I figured that you'd have more of a standing. What with being the Oncoming Storm," she explained.

Both of them turned around immediately as there was the loud snapping sound of trees being broken in half from behind them, the Gruffolim was slowly circling them, hunting.

"Mmmm," The Doctor understood. "I suppose. We do have previous."

River turned around and raised her eyebrows. "Is that so?"

"No, no." The Doctor fumbled with his words, doing his best to clear up the ambiguity. "Me and Old Gruffly. Yeah, we go way back." He answered and started to walk off towards the growling sound. "So you said prison?" He hurriedly said, attempting to change the subject.

River's fingers hovered over her holster, skimming the strap that held her gun in place. "Yes, I'm helping to secure the Gruffolim. I say helping. It's really just you and me." She confessed, eyes shining bright and legs tensing to run.

"Isn't it always?" He replied smiling back at her.

There was a loud thumping noise, it started on the left, then sounded behind them. They turned and then it seemed like it was on the right; a charge up.

"He knows we're here." The Doctor whispered, then jogged forwards and shouted, "Gruffolim. Don't make this difficult for yourself. Hand yourself in now and things will be better. There's no one else on this side of the planet. You won't be eating any civilisations today."

He paused for a second, "Or conglomerations." He tacked on as an afterthought.

"Is that going to work?" River stage whispered in his ear, unstrapping her gun and under his gaze, turning the setting to level five; to stun only.

He shrugged his shoulders, "Worth a try. Last time there was a lot of running, and eating. I ran, he...well was eating everything."

The Gruffolim answered with an unearthly roar which made things clear for the Doctor. It bounded out of the trees stopping short of the pair by a few feet. Matted black long fur and silver beady eyes watched them. Then it roared again, louder. Its long claws dug into the ground, snagging and slicing through the shallow roots of the trees.

"Run!" The Doctor shouted and grabbed hold of River's hand tightly, tugging her along through the blue and silver trees_._ Her fingers gripped back just as tight.

_Some things never change, _he thought as the Gruffolim raced after them.

* * *

_Hope you liked and I hope you review!_

_A/N: Revised July 2012. Also I'm starting to cross post to AO3. All chapters will eventually be fleshed out with the magic of description as well. :) Since this entire series was begun and finished between the end of series 5 and the end of series 6, most of it's all speculative, (my first ship!) and not cannon/not many cannon references, I'll change it to add more references in some places, but it's all relative. And yes, a main point I grabbed hold of before was that River and the Doctor would be together for several of the Doctor's future faces, and I do still like the idea, so I'll not change it too much._


	2. Spluttered Spoliers

_Hiya, this one's a little short. _

_Thank you to Mestiza for reviewing! And to Monkey And Music Lover for favouriting this story! :D _

_River knows the Doctor longer than she knows him. And this time it's the 11th Doctor! _

* * *

Spluttered Spoilers

The Doctor picked up his glass and tapped it against River's as a toast.

"To calling to say hello." He said grinning and she smiled back at him. They sat in a restaurant overhanging the red cliffs of Bobbitly. It was the year 6342 and they sat at the table right next to the window so they could watch the purple sea crash against the deep maroon cliffs.

"Well, you did tell me off last week." River commented, shaking her head in amusement.

"Oh, last week?" The Doctor asked interested, "So what happened then?"

"Spoilers." She replied knowingly and grinned at his scowl.

River shook her head, he always wanted to know. But he was the one who told her in the first place. To keep it all a secret, that the spoilers would be revealed in their own time. That they should have fun while it lasted, spinning, dancing and chasing each other across the vastness of universe and through time. Seeing all the amazing places.

"Come on, just a hint, just a little, teensy tiny hint?" He asked.

"Stop it." She warned.

"River." He retorted in his serious voice and for a split second she saw that he was frustrated.

She took a sip of her drink and then placed the glass back down onto the red table cloth, appearing to be in deep thought.

"Well, I suppose a teensy spoiler would be alright." She decided after a little while. The Doctor beamed and leaned over the table, while taking another sip from his drink.

River lowered her voice. "I can't tell you any louder than this. You said that if this was repeated louder than twenty decibels there would be a fracture in the time stream and then a fifth of the time vortex would begin to run backwards."

The Doctor looked up at her and frowned, "Really?" _Hmm, well the possibility is always there. _He reasoned with the odd explanation.

She nodded her head earnestly. "Really."

"Go on, tell me." He encouraged.

So she did. And he spluttered, spraying his drink all over the table, not that it made much of a stain. Red drink on a red tablecloth to match the red cliffs outside.

"Noooooo." He whispered, half in amazement and half in shock.

River let out a laugh which turned the heads of some of the people sitting at the surrounding tables. "Of course not sweetie." She told him, holding back laughter.

The Doctor straightened up in his seat, "That. Was not good."

"Well," She replied smugly, "You shouldn't have asked. They're called spoilers for a reason."

They sat in silence for a few minutes until the Doctor looked directly in her eyes, "River, will you ever tell me?" He asked.

She looked back at him, and then smiled sincerely, "Sweetie, I don't have to. You'll find out by yourself. All of it. Besides you're the one who has more spoilers. I think this makes up for it. Don't you?"

* * *

_Review if you liked it! :D_


	3. Worth The Wait

Hello! And here's the next one.

So... here I think that it's a later Doctor, probably the 12th and a little later on from the other chapter before. And here, The Doctor knows River for longer!

Thanks to you both for taking the time to review. Glad that you like it!

* * *

Worth The Wait

He had faced down aliens, armies and the time war. But one thing made his resolve waver and make him think twice before turning round after double locking the TARDIS doors and run back in. He did debate quickly though, and he was the oncoming storm. He was there at the fall of Arcadia. And so what if he was a little late. Five measly minutes. He was a lord of time, the last time lord. He outranked anyone and everyone. Even the King of France. He had almost a millennia under his timey wimey belt and silver waistcoat.

He straightened up fractionally and spun round facing the woman he had come to meet. And then he remembered why he needed that courage. She was scowling darkly at him. It seemed permanently flashing across her eyebrows and sparking the anger in her eyes. The Doctor took in a deep breath and smiled widely at her.

"River. You're early."

She scowled back a little more, if it were even possible.

"You're late." She stated and turned on her heel.

"Only by five minutes." He protested as he quickly followed after her.

"Five weeks." She corrected and he stalled mid stride.

"Really? Are you sure. Weeks?"

"This is the third time." She said annoyed, "If you'll just let me fix the Spoltt stabilisers, we won't have this problem." She told him.

He raised his eyebrows behind her back. There was nothing wrong with his TARDIS. Maybe it needed a little fine tuning but that was understandable. She was older than he was. But River_, fixing_ his TARDIS? She didn't like the sound the TARDIS made when he left the handbrake on_, accidently._ That wonderful whooshing noise. It was music. But River preferred to fly with the handbrake off. He had now managed to catch up with her outside the museum entrance. She stood with her back to him, waiting for him to buy the tickets.

She had been the one to call him after noticing the discrepancies of the artefacts in the exhibition. He pondered as he rummaged in his pockets for the right currency. The best option was a happy River Song. But she was angry at him. So he had to fix it.

"River." He called slowly as they took the levitator platform up to the fifth floor.

"Yes Doctor." She replied curtly.

"Was I really five weeks late?" He asked sheepishly and she nodded sharply. But she had turned her head to watch him.

"You know I didn't mean it." He protested, trying to prove his point.

"I know, I'm just saying that the Spoltt stabilisers need a little fixing." She repeated, a little more gently, but the unhappy scowl was still there. He knew that an hour in chronological order was a long time, especially when there was nothing to do but wait. And spending five weeks waiting, well, he might've gone mad.

"I'm sorry." He apologised and River turned her head back to him again, nodding to accept his apology. But she still wasn't talking to him. He sighed silently, with only his shoulders moving up and down. If he must, then he would.

"And, River. When we get back to the TARDIS I'll fix the Spoltts and we can go on a test run. Anywhere, anywhen you want, down to the minute." He offered.

"Oh, sweetie." She turned round and smiled at him. He smiled back at her. "But if you let me fix them, I'll be done quicker and it'll be down to the second." The levitator stopped and she hopped off with a spring in her step.

The Doctor followed her, thinking about what he had just gotten himself into. _Fine tuning the Spoltts, adding green settings to the sonic screwdriver, driving with the handbrake off. Or changing the desktop. Somehow she had figured out which dial to use to change it and they had spent two weeks with the console room looking like a throwback from the 1890's. Complete with extravagant wallpaper and heavy velvet drapes. Whatever next?_ But he couldn't help but grin when he saw her smiling. It was worth it. And by the time she had fully explained which artefacts were missing from the exhibition he had completely forgotten.

They rushed back to the TARDIS as he began to ponder on rifts in time or the new French revisionists being the cause. River sat back on the battered old sofa and watched him race around the console, pulling strings and pushing a large red button. She had waited five weeks. Sure, she was angry. But he was the Doctor, and he was always worth the wait.

* * *

I'll update when I get hit by an idea, this one was written on about 17 notes on my phone. Long time typing. :D


	4. Trust Me AU

_Hiya :D Thank you for all the reviews. It seems like you have as much fun reading as I do writing!  
Soooooo, this one's a little longer. And it's the first time the two meet... could be interesting to see what you think of it. _

_So here, the Doctor knows River for longer. And she doesn't know him at all. (The tables have turned!)  
And, I imagined it as the Doctor just after the 11th Doctor. So that's the 12th Doctor. _

* * *

Trust Me

River just focused on breathing as she ducked underneath the doorway and then crawled into the next section of the tunnel. Debris fell in chunks as the ceiling began to collapse from the quaking and shaking ground. Which had been solid until the moment they unlocked the tomb. Half of her team's equipment had fell down the immense chasm and then she had stumbled as the ground shook and another section of the ceiling collapsed, leaving her separated from her team who had managed to back into the tunnel they had arrived from. She was having to take the long way round, if there even was one.

She leant against the wall to avoid more large chunks of compressed rock falling on her and shielded her face from the dust. Her communicator bleeped softly and she lifted it up to her face to read. It shone faintly in the darkness, the room she was in only faintly illuminated by the glow her small torch. The large portable flood lights were now at the bottom of the chasm, lighting up whatever was down there. Which was very helpful to her.

"Hello." She called into it, wondering if there was anyone who would come back for her, preferably with a large hammer and drill to dig her out.

The communicator crackled and some white noise replied. She called into it again a few more time before there was a reply.

"River... Hang on... Almost there." A man called back but she couldn't tell who it was.

"Well hurry up!" She shouted back as the ground quaked again and she was thrown sideways. Static from her communicator answered her.

She managed to pull herself up from the wall and then pressed up against it. Then she leaned forwards as through the falling dust she could see a light.

"Hello. I'm here!" She called out and waved towards the blue light.

"You will be deleted." The light replied in monotone.

"What?" She asked squinting as she moved up her torch to take a look at the odd rescuer.

"You will be deleted." The light replied and came into more view. The light itself was an attachment on a shoulder of a metal looking man.

"Who are you?" She cried out.

"You will be upgraded." The metal man replied. It had a large C on the centre of its silver chest and it marched along slowly, its legs hissing and pumping.

"Were you in the tomb?" She asked, realising that there might have been something else down there, other than paintings. There was no reply from the metal man.

"I'm an archaeologist, this is a dig. Are you from the tomb?" She asked, wary that every step it was taking was one step closer to her.

"You will be...dele...up...ed." The metal man stuttered and then collapsed forwards. A young man with floppy brown hair, a dusty and battered tweed jacket and a bright blue tie grinned from behind the fallen metal man.

"I'm here." He announced and River stayed put, even though larger chunks the size of her head were now falling with the ease of snowflakes from the hole ridden tunnel ceiling. She just stared at him.

"Who are you?" She asked, not remembering him from the team that she had specifically picked for her dig.

"I'm the Doctor." He replied and pointed to himself, like she was the one who didn't understand.

"Doctor who?"

"No, no, just the Doctor." He replied nodding his head seriously. Then he realised where they were. "Come on." He called as he looked to both sides of the tunnel.

"What did you do to it?" She asked, looking back from him to the fallen metal man.

"Oh, not much, just a localised electric magnetic pulse. Fries a Cyberman's circuits." He explained offhandedly while stretching out his hand for her to take.

"Why did you do that, to, it?" She asked, skipping forwards a little as most of the wall crumbled away from her. The ceiling began to dip and the Doctor looked at her worried, but also a little exasperated.

"We have to leave now." He stated.

"I'm not going anywhere until you answer my question." She said stubbornly, but looked up nervously when the ceiling rumbled and the ground trembled once more. "That was found here, meaning its part of the dig. You just might have done something you really weren't mean to, because I know that you haven't got the authorisation to be here."

"Because it was going to delete you." He told her, waving his hand in front of a gap appearing in the floor in between them. "Come on!"

River looked at him nervously, and then teetered as the rest of the tunnel wall behind her collapsed completely, cracking up the floor into large jagged sections.

"We have to leave now!" The Doctor shouted above the rumbling sound and River looked at him with wide eyes.

"Trust me." He said, looking back at her, and then up to the ceiling. She stared at him for a long moment and then grabbed his hand.

"Off we go." He said smiling and then dragged her through the last remaining section of the tunnel which hadn't begun to cave in. They ran until they hit a dead end, which was where the tunnel's ceiling had now become a wall.

"What now?" She asked as she caught back her breath.

He jumped up and down on the spot and then paced of the tunnel's width. "Five." He announced.

"Five?"

"Five meters from the surface." He explained.

"That's nice to know." She said as she inspected the blockage, but it was made up of large sections of rock which weighed more than her and she wouldn't be able to make them budge an inch, let alone move them from the path. She turned to the Doctor, who was rummaging inside his pockets. "Found it!" He said, pulling out an odd looking gun and she took a step back from him.

"Now, if I can just recalibrate the setting four, make it a little more flat. There, that should do it. Possibly." He muttered and then held out his hand again. "River."

"How'd you know my name?" She asked as she gingerly held onto his hand.

"Spoilers." He replied grinning more widely than before and then pointed the gun at the tunnel wall. It let out an opaque blue beam for a few moments. Then the gun fizzled and sparked a little. "Oh, it's got a rubbish battery. Takes forever to charge and then dies." The Doctor mumbled again and then chucked the gun over his shoulder where it clattered to the ground.

"They don't make them like they used to. Nope, now they grow bananas. Not that I have anything against bananas." He added as he towed River along and up a newly made flight of stairs which the gun had carved out of the remaining tunnel wall.

"How?" She asked staring at him with wide eyes. "That's..." She broke off because she didn't know what to say.

"Are you alright?" He asked her, checking to see if she was in one piece. She nodded and then watched as he smiled again and extracted his hand from hers.

"Your friends are just over that sand dune." He pointed out, still smiling. "That Cyberman was the only one down there and it's dead now. The area's safe and you'll be back, digging away here soon. Although I hear that Gorsewove Prime has some fascinating architecture, just waiting under a couple hundred feet of ice. Ice is more studier than sand." He pointed out.

"Who are you?" She asked as he turned around, ready to walk off.

"A friend." He replied, grinned once more and then loped off across the red sand towards a big blue box. River watched in silence, with her mouth open, as he walked into the blue box. Then seconds later it hummed and whirred and a strong breeze picked up, blowing red sand into her face. She watched as the blue box disappeared in front of her eyes. Her communicator bleeped twice and she flipped it open without taking her eyes off the now empty space. There was a slight dip where the box had landed and she wondered whether she was hallucinating.

"Hello?"

"River? It's Anita. Where are you? Are you alright?" Her friend babbled.

"I'm fine, I got out. I'm coming." She told her and then switched the communicating, stepping a little closer to the patch of red sand which was shaped in a box. A strong breeze picked up and the blue box materialised again. She backpedalled quickly. She frowned as she read the writing on the top of the box.

"Police Box?" She whispered to herself.

The man stuck his head out of door.

"And River," He called out to her; she nodded her head, still wondering if she was dreaming.

"Thank you." He told her.

"For what?" She asked.

"For trusting me." He said, smiling at her once more and then shut the door. The blue box dematerialised and she watched it go, only realising what to say after it had gone.

"Thank you Doctor." She said and then slowly turned around to trek up the sand dune and back to her team.

* * *

_Off to think up the next idea :D_


	5. Happy Birthday

_Hiya, so thank you to all who took the time out to review! I wasn't completely sure about the last chapter...  
_

_And this is the next little bit: _

_So I was thinking, (uh oh) and I wondered that if the Doctor aged a year to every series/year then they never mention birthdays. At all. Ever. So after a bit more thinking... the little chapter below. _

_12th Doctor and River. _  
_Seems like River knows the Doctor for longer. _

* * *

Happy Birthday

"Uh, uh. No peeking." River repeated as the Doctor sat on the battered sofa and watched as she ran around the console doing what he normally did. Flying the TARDIS.

"Where are we going?" He asked again and she paused and looked up at him exasperated.

"That would spoil the surprise!" She told him and then leaned over to twist the screen away from him so that he couldn't see the co-ordinates she was inputting.

"Well that's not fair." He pouted back and then grinned as the TARDIS touched down, sending him flying of the sofa and onto the console.

"Does it even matter now?" River asked him and he nodded his head thoughtfully as he stood up and reached for his coat.

"Guess not, so where are we then?" He asked, hoping for an answer.

"Stop it." She said and then ran behind him and covered his eyes with her hands. "Ok, now walk to the door." She instructed and he stepped forwards and walked down the ramp with his arms outstretched in front of him.

"Door." She told him as he brushed his hands over the handle, then gripped it and pulled it open. They stood in the doorway of the TARDIS and River removed her hands.

"Happy birthday sweetie." She said as he took in the view.

They stood in the middle of marshland. The Doctor saw the dark green trees and the dark blue-black sky with the little white stars twinkling away. He breathed in the cool air and the dampness.

"So that's why you raided the TARDIS wardrobe." He commented on her floral dress and the bead necklace.

"America, nineteen twenties." River stated proudly. "Just outside Atlanta, if the TARDIS landed where I was aiming for." She added and he nodded in agreement. Music bubbled through the darkness from a little barn hidden deeply in a cluster of trees. There were tiny gas lamps lighting up the front door. And if he listened closely he could hear crickets chirping in the long dark green grass.

"This is brilliant!" He exclaimed as soon as he realised exactly where River had brought him.

"You like it?" She asked grinning.

"A speakeasy, we're at a speakeasy in the nineteen twenties. Shhh, shh, shh. Can you hear the music?" They were silent for a moment and listened to the faint sounds in the distance.

"The French knew how to party, but this is brilliant" He exclaimed again. "And my birthday present?" He glanced at River, wondering how she knew. She stared back at him, smirking. "Oh, come on then. ..." He told her, grinning madly.

"Did you ever hear the story about two prohibition agents, Mo and Izzy?" The Doctor asked River excitedly as they slowly walked up to the barn. She shook her head.

"They dressed up in crazy outfits and did absolutely ridiculous things to try and catch people." He explained waving his arms to emphasise the 'absolutely ridiculous' part. The Doctor laughed and River smiled, wanting him to continue.

"They, then they would clap on the handcuffs, and this part is hilarious." He nodded turning round to look at another little gas lamp before turning back to her trying not to ruin the story by breaking into laughter. "They said 'Dere's sad news' and the poor person was nicked!"

River chucked as the Doctor dissolved into laughter. They arrived at the old wooden door and he leaned on it laughing a little more as he tapped on it in an odd manner. Two knocks, one knock and then three quick raps. He beamed at the man who opened the door a crack, and after inspecting both newcomers he let them in, deciding that the man's odd attire was outweighed by the friendly smile. The Doctor and River walked in and joined the party. Everyone present all celebrating different things.

* * *

_And the story about the prohibition agents is true. And that really is sad , (but funny) news. I cracked up when I read it! There was one time, with a lot of standing outside in the snow, (purposely) until one was blue and then the other persuaded a poor barman for a little brandy to 'revive' his mate. Then out with the handcuffs!_

_Review, or it's sad news for me! :D_


	6. Crash Landing

_Hello everyone! _

_So, this one's a little, sad but, it gets more happier at the end. Hmmm, a lot of making stuff up here... don't actually know if it works, fingers crossed. _

_And: The Doctor knows River for longer than she knows him. Perhaps the Doctor after the Doctor after the Doctor after this one? So the 15th Doctor. _

* * *

Crash Landing

"No, no, no! The other one. You're other left." The Doctor shouted as River lurched to the side and the TARDIS crash landed, throwing them both to the floor. They stood up slowly, giggling.

"That was better, wasn't it sweetie." River said grinning as the Doctor pulled over the screen above the console to check where they were and how much damage River had done whilst learning to fly the TARDIS.

"Oh." he said, noting the red flashing light above the mustard dispenser. "You stalled the TARDIS." He said, miffed. "I told you, the black switch."

"You said left." She argued.

"Well, I meant your other left. You heard me." He argued back.

"So where are we?" River asked.

"Well." The Doctor said slowly after reading the screen properly, "We've landed. Just not where you were hoping for. Quite a bit off actually." There was a loud crash outside and the TARDIS shook violently.

"Where are we?" River repeated alarmed.

"Oh, about half a galaxy away from the co ordinates you put in." The Doctor replied absently, "And you've stalled the TARDIS." He flicked a couple of switches and then pulled up the grate under the console. He heaved out a large cluster of wires which were attached to a plug, and plugged it into a socket on the side panel of the console.

"Extrapolator shielding on." He muttered.

"Why would you need extrapolator shielding?" River asked him as the TARDIS shook again, this time only a little bit. He waved his hand at her and then pulled out an old brown trunk with several faded stickers plastered all over it.

"Zook plugs. They always go missing." He rummaged inside and even stuck his head to see if he could find them, then sat back on his knees. "Might be in my old jacket. Back in a second." The Doctor told River as he disappeared off down the corridor.

"Oh, and River." He called appearing again. "Whatever you do, do not go outside." He told her seriously. He even had his eyebrows raised up, just to hammer the point home. She nodded and walked over to the sofa and leaned against it, looking at the screen. _Cardiff, 6349_. The readout flashed in the top right hand corner.

"Cardiff? We're on Earth?" River whispered as another crash managed to rock the TARDIS. She walked over to the door knowing that she was ignoring what the Doctor had told her. But extrapolator shielding wasn't used to wrap up Christmas gifts. She decided that she was only going to open the door and not go outside, just like he had instructed.

She pulled open the blue door and saw a sight she would have never expected. Buildings were half demolished and were on fire. Flames blazed stories high and planes droned on overhead. There was an explosion a couple of hundred feet away which shook the TARDIS and River saw a shell of a building which was starting to collapse, sending dust, ash and chunks of brick crashing down to the ground. She squinted as flames flickered higher with their bright red and orange colours. She realised that without the extrapolator shielding she would be choking on the plumes of smoke which had turned the sky dark grey and black.

"I told you not to open the door." The Doctor said from behind her, he shut the door softly so that they couldn't see the destruction anymore.

"What, what's happening out there?" River said as she pointed to the door. The Doctor had turned round and walked over to the console, lifting his hand in which there were two black castanet-like objects.

"Found them." He told her and then slotted them into place on the console.

"Doctor." River pressed and he turned around to face her.

"Cardiff, 6349. The fourth World War." He stated.

"World War Four?" River asked, astonished.

"A bit after your time." He explained and she nodded her head in shock.

"But can't you do anything?" River walked over to face him, noticing that his expression had grown dark. The console bleeped and whined signalling that the TARDIS was ready for takeoff after recovering from stalling.

"Come on, we're leaving." The Doctor announced and began pulling levers.

"Doctor, stop them fighting!" River shouted to get his attention.

"I can't!" He shouted back, and then pushed a large green button, pausing the TARDIS mid-flight. "I can't stop them." He repeated, flinging himself down onto the sofa.

"But, I've seen you stop wars. I've seen you stop armies with a sentence. You've stopped the Cybermen and the Daleks and the Tyrga Invasion. If there's anyone who can stop World War Four, Doctor, it's you." River said as she sat down beside him.

"No, I can't. I've done all those things, defended the Earth. But there's one thing that I've never been able to do. That's to save humans from themselves. 'Cos this lot, their brilliant, they really are. I've seen how brilliant they can be. But they can also be so..." He broke off with a sigh and shook his head. "Either way, World War Four is an event which has to happen. I can't tamper with it."

"Like how the Titanic sinking and Vesuvius erupting is embedded into the time line." River said as she remembered a conversation with an ex Time Agent.

"Er, well, not tampered with too much there." The Doctor admitted sheepishly and River scoffed.

"Typical." She muttered under her breath and he feigned surprise. There was another loud crash outside and the TARDIS rattled, shaking them off the sofa.

"We'd better leave properly. Unless you want to swimming pool to end up in the library." River stated.

"Hmm, had to leave the heating on for ages while the books dried last time that happened. it was like a sauna." The Doctor replied as she flipped a switch, and then looked at the Doctor questioningly. He nodded at her and then sat back down giving instructions.

"Yep, the purple one. No that's mustard, nope second one. That's it."

"No one likes a backseat driver." She told him, "And handbrake off." She finished as the TARDIS whined louder and dematerialised silently. River was exceptionally quiet and watched the console beep and the centre piece fly up and down rhythmically as it made the engines turn.

"It's not all bad you know." The Doctor said after a while.

"What's not?"

"World War Four." He answered, "Some amazing things happen as a result."

"Go on."

"Well, for one, the long lasting Peace Accord was signed by all nations, countries, empires and kingdoms, so there is never another World War,"

"Hmmm. But there was that one."

"Two, the Second Enlightenment takes place and added with a dash of Renaissance which helps to make all the little humans a bit more sensible. Technology improves considerably, and the art, fantastic. But the sensible bit's good. All that, 'think twice before opening your mouth' kind of reason." River chuckled but watched the Doctor as he pulled up an image on the screen.

"And C, humans are the species to make first contact with the Rsyteria." He pointed to the image and River saw the picture of the two species meeting for the very first time. "And they aid the peace process on their planet. Humans grow up a little bit." He finished with a small smile on his face which was mirrored on River's.

"Good." She commented. "Where are we off to now?" She asked.

"Hmmm." He thought about it for a moment.

"How, about Barcelona?" He asked hopping off the sofa.

"Spain? I've already been there." She told him.

"No, the planet Barcelona. They've got dogs with no noses. And, and the trees are like diamonds because of the density. They sparkle when the sun rises. And grow upside down-ish."

"Sounds great. What are the co ordinates?"

"I think I'll fly this time." He said, sliding past her. River scowled but moved aside and then clung onto the rail as the TARDIS thrummed and shook.

"Handbrake sweetie!" She reminded him.

"What was that?" The Doctor shouted back, inconspicuously turning a dial which coincided with the engine noise becoming louder. It thrummed and whirred even more noisily and River stopped shouting and held on tighter, realising that the Doctor couldn't hear her.

* * *

_Hope you liked this and I hope you review so I then know :D Have a nice day you lot! _


	7. Three Together

_So this is called: Three Together, Threats, The Little Blue Book.  
A lot longer than the others and you'll see how it fits in at the end.  
Thank you for all the reviews. :D_

_Really glad to see that lots of people like this story, and I hope that you like this one too. :D_

_-rupzydaisy_

_BTW: THe Doctor knows River for longer  
And he's the 12th!_

* * *

Three Together

"Doctor where did you go?" River called as she pulled herself up. The TARDIS had just landed and had thrown both of them when it had crashed down.

"Down here." He called, his voice was muffled, "Did I ever tell you that the attic was in the cellar?" He asked as he climbed back up the stairs he had just fallen down. River shook her head. "No, well it is." They walked over to the screen to see where they had ended up.

"Can't be right." The Doctor stated after a few moments of staring, "Says, that outside, there's two other TARDISs." He continued, clearly confused.

"Must be a mistake." River agreed and looked up to see he was grinning madly.

"Well, there's only one way to find out!" The Doctor shouted as he raced out of the door and River rushed after him.

* * *

"Hmmmm." The Doctor said as he looked at what was outside. There were in a technologically dilapidated room. It was large but filled up with clutter. Wires hung from the ceiling and the room was only lit up by harsh glow strip lights which made everything seem a little more sharper and a bit more dangerous than it actually was. There was a large control panel on the far side of the room towards the back and it whirred loudly and occasionally let out a beep as it calculated. But the Doctor wasn't completely focussed on the room, but more the people in it who were staring back at him in astonishment.

"Now, that is a little different." He commented. "But there must be something which is working, and I bet we're all thankful for whatever it is. Because it must be the only reason why the universe hasn't collapsed or something like that. Oh, I don't know and it's probably too complicated to explain." He rambled on while smiling at them all.

Because standing right there was his tenth regeneration, who stood next to Donna Noble, and he looked extremely confused. His eleventh stood with Amy and Rory.

Ten was the first to say something relevant. "Hello." Ten said, smiling widely, "You came out of the TARDIS, so you and you." He pointed at Eleven and Twelve, "Must be me." Then he frowned, "Well, this isn't something I'll forget in a hurry." He commented thoughtfully.

"Actually..." Twelve muttered under his breath quietly and only River heard the first word.

"So I'm gonna look like that." Ten continued, nodding at Eleven but talking to Twelve.

"I know, no ginger." Twelve replied disappointed.

Ten sighed loudly before peering at both. "And it looks like I just keep on getting younger!" He exclaimed in surprise, staring at Eleven's floppy fringe and young face.

"Hello boys." River called and waved happily.

"Hi River." Amy waved back and the picked up Eleven's hand for him and waved it too. Twelve nudged River's shoulder and whispered a 'stop it'. Both Ten and Eleven watched her warily for a moment before smiling back at her.

"And who are you two?" Ten asked curiously while waving his arm at Amy and Rory who looked back at him curiously too.

"Oh, never mind them." Eleven replied and pulled out his sonic screwdriver, ignoring Amy's irratated huff.

"It's green? But I like my blue one." Ten complained and Donna poked him, raising her eyebrows and then jabbed her head at the TARDIS. He shook his head in reply and continued to watch as Eleven, in his tweed suit and red bowtie began tapping his screwdriver and then whacked it against his hand. It whirred weakly and then the light stopped flashing.

"It's not working properly." He announced shoving it back into his pocket.

"You need stabilisers." Twelve replied and pulled his own sonic screwdriver out. It hummed and whirred loudly and Ten crossed his arms and waited. River raised her eyebrows at him and he scowled remembering that she said he would have an improved sonic screwdriver in the future. It bleeped loudly and Twelve looked at the readings and turned around on the spot. "It looks like, we're in a limbo patch." He explained and was met with frowns.

"They obviously did something wrong." Eleven commented. "I wonder which one of us they actually wanted."

"Who's they?" Donna asked loudly. A large metal door at the far end of the room hissed and began to slide away.

"I think we're about to find out." Rory answered nervously as they watched who entered the room.

* * *

Threats

"Oooh, I remember you!" Eleven cried out excitedly pointing at the approaching group.

"Mmmm, the Shansheeth, and Colonel Karim. Now that's a surprise!" Twelve noted, tilting his head to the side as he watched a large group of tall vulture like aliens with hooked beaks and beady black eyes approach. Colonel Karim looked the same as she did before, albeit a little more ragged and without her red UNIT beret. Her left hand was wrapped around a dangerous looking, very large gun.

"I am not happy with you." Eleven continued, obviously irritated, "The last time I saw you, you were trying to use Sarah and Jo's memories to extrapolate a TARDIS key using a memory weave." He said, pointing a finger at the tall vulture like alien opposite him who had large blue jewels on his brow and acted like the leader. "Never did get a chance to finish out little conversation," he said with an overtly serious tone.

"With the machines we will stop countless deaths and wasteful funerals." The main Shansheeth replied, speaking in slow, low tones.

"Oh right." Ten muttered, as he was caught up to speed.

"You'll see, someday." Eleven turned to beam at him, and then turned back to the Shansheeth with his 'serious face' back on and ready for business.

Ten turned back to appeal to the ex-UNIT soldier. "I can understand this completely." He said to her, attempting for a peaceful ending. "But you can't stop deaths on that kind of a scale. The damage to the timelines would be so severe. You'd ruin them." He paused for a moment to look her in the eye, and then continued to speak, just a little slower. "It's so human for you to try, but you can't..."

Eleven butted in and stepped forwards, jabbing his finger."You're not stealing my TARDIS!" He said bluntly and then stepped backwards so that he stood in front of his blue box.

"It is irrelevant if you step aside or not." Colonel Karim informed Eleven, and then glanced over to the other two doctors with narrowed eyes. Donna's mouth popped open, River let out a little chuckle and shook her head. Amy frowned at the large vulture like aliens and Rory looked at Eleven dubiously, hoping that he had a plan under his tweed sleeves.

Ten looked over at Eleven who had crossed his arms and he quirked an eyebrow at his tweed counterpart. Then both turned to look at Twelve who straightened his silvery grey waistcoat and then stepped forwards in front of them, their companions and their TARDISs. "Hey!" Ten interjected and Twelve spun around on the spot.

"I'm older than you." Twelve stated and then spun back around to face the Shansheeth who were waiting patiently on the Doctors' decision to surrender or not so that they could then take charge of the three TARDISs. The only reason they waited was because they didn't want to cause any more unnecessary deaths, contrary to the ex UNIT officer's opinion who was determined to take the TARDIS no matter what.

"Shansheeth, you've got one chance to release the limbo lock. This is it." Twelve state seriously and the two other doctors nodded along behind him. Amy watched carefully and even Rory had stopped edging towards the TARDIS doors. Donna on the other hand had stepped closer to her Doctor, still slightly confused as to what was going on. River, strangely, had a smug smile on her face and simply leaned back against the TARDIS doors. Quite possibly because she already knew what was about to happen next.

"Well done Shansheeth." Twelve continued sarcastically as he realised that the Shansheeth were not going to undo the limbo lock. Instead they stood watching the Doctor, waiting for him to step aside and hand over the TARDIS key. Colonel Karim, on the other hand, had other ideas. She raised her gun, pointing it at Twelve. It was aimed squarely at his chest. "Now, let's just all think about this for a moment. Because I really do think you need a little help."

He paused and confusion flashed across her face, she lowered the gun slightly, wanting to hear what he was about to say. "Because you're missing a huge point. So glaringly obvious. Something which is about to render your plan completely and utterly useless." Twelve continued, smiling towards the end.

"And what's that then?" Colonel Karim asked darkly, scowling at him.

"Your plan, was to kidnap the TARDIS." He began slow and then spoke faster and faster, "And then use it to travel through time and space adjusting timelines and events to your will. But, you got a bit more than you bargained for." He continued and began to pace up and down the dividing line between them and the Shansheeth. "Instead of dragging one TARDIS through the time space vortex all the here, to limbo land, you pulled three. No mean feat to pull a TARDIS off flight." Twelve paused and pointed to Eleven and Ten who were staring at the Shansheeth with a look of deep concentration and seriousness and then to himself. "But, and this is your problem. Because with the TARDIS comes a Doctor. And now you've got three." Twelve finished dramatically.

The Colonel and the Shansheeth stared back at Twelve for a moment. Then they took their positions. Colonel Karim lifted up the gun ordered, "Surrender." to all time-space travellers. Nobody moved for a second. River snorted loudly. Twelve sighed heavily and shrugged his shoulders as the Shansheeth slowly moved closer, their long cloaks whispered against the dusty floor.

And then Eleven jumped forwards. "Hey! What I, he, me. Whatever, meant to say was that before you tried to take my TARDIS. And I, one Doctor, stopped you. Now there are three of us. Do the maths. Do you want to repeat your threat one more time, or consider our offer? Undo the limbo lock. And that's an order. " The Shansheeth paused in their advance, but the Colonel continued. The Doctors grimaced at each other.

"In the TARDIS!" Eleven shouted and Amy and Rory quickly opened the door and stumbled inside, whereas Ten just opened the door and pushed Donna in, she replied with an indignant yell to do with Martians. River had simply turned around, opened the TARDIS doors and walked straight in before Twelve could say anything to her. He nodded to the blank space where she stood before then turned in the opposite direction and ran. The three Doctors rushed to the other side of the room where the large computers sat. Twelve had his sonic screwdriver out and began to probe a large metal control box.

"Feeding the loop back now!" Ten shouted as he plugged in some large heavy wires into a socket. The Shansheeth realised what the Doctors were doing.

"Stop them!" The leader of the Shansheeth cried.

"Ready?" Eleven yelled while disabling the security controls. The other two Doctors shouted their yeses back before ducking down behind the table. Bullets ricocheted loudly.

"On three!" Shouted Ten over the metallic clangs. "One." He called, lifting his head to peek over the top of the table, only to see the Shansheeth a few feet away. "Four!" He shouted and all three Doctors ran to their respective TARDISs.

Ten legged it, his long coat flapping and narrowly dodged a spray of bullets. Eleven ducked under the table, sliding on the dusty floor, then scrambled to his feet. He crashed into his TARDIS as Amy and Rory started up the engines. Both TARDISs disappeared almost simultaneously with echoing thrumming noises.

Leaving Twelve to run to his TARDIS while pointing the sonic screwdriver at the control box which kept the limbo lock exit open. River stood just inside the TARDIS doors waiting for him. Twelve dived in as the control box overloaded with a dramatic flourish of golden and blue sparks. Colonel Karim screamed as the last TARDIS dematerialised and the Shansheeth watched the last Doctor leave in silence.

* * *

The Little Blue Book

River sat on the side of the TARDIS console and watched the Doctor press the buttons which dematerialised the TARDIS into the time-space vortex. She pulled out a little blue book from inside her coat and flicked through the pages. The Doctor paused and walked over to her, peering over the edge before she tilted the book out of his view.

"That looks new." He noted the shiny cover and the clean crisp pages.

"Well it is. You should know, you gave it to me." River replied then continued to flick through the book.

"Did I now?" He mused as he pulled over the screen which showed whirly lines. "Limbo lock's collapsed and it's all going to revert back to normal now." He explained.

River looked up from the pages, "Revert back to normal?" She repeated.

"Oh yeah, that there, with me, and me...and me. That wasn't supposed to happen. The TARDIS is fixing it right now. Erasing over the event like a huge, eraser. A blue one of course. Not a fan of the little red ones on the back of pencils. I swallowed one once, chewing on the end of pencils while thinking is distasteful." He mocked thoughtfulness and she slapped his shoulder with the back of her hand playfully.

"But how does that work? I mean, I knew what was happening because it's in here." She said confused and then watched as the words on the page slowly began to fade. The first paragraph disappeared and she showed it to him.

"Yep. That's the TARDIS. You'll have an empty page in your book once she's finished." The Doctor answered.

"I'll have to rewrite it."

"Errrrm, you won't."

River turned to face him, "What do you mean?"

"Well, the TARDIS is erasing everything. The words in your intriguing little blue book... our memories of what just happened."

"Explain sweetie. Properly." She demanded as she watched the fourth paragraph disappear, leaving half the page blank and the other half in fading scrawl.

"When the TARDIS lands and we step out, we won't remember what happened. It's to do with me, meeting me and me. Shouldn't really happen. Because memories are strong things and it would leave a residue which could then reactivate the limbo lock through my link with the TARDIS. The other Doctors will be doing this too. It's why I couldn't remember what had happened, even though, technically, I had already been through those events twice. It's kind of like a reverse paradox which has been tilted sideways and the exit slightly blocked up." He elaborated.

"Oh. So I won't remember anything, at all." River wondered as she watched the second to last paragraph fade away.

"Not a thing." The Doctor replied, half grinning at her.

"Well, Oncoming Storm, you do like to tidy up after yourself." River joked as the TARDIS rematerialised somewhere new and they were thrown to the floor as it landed.

"Off we go!" The Doctor shouted and River left the little blue book on the side of the TARDIS screen, propped up against the console and the MP7 player. And it was going to remain there for a long time to come.


	8. You Can Always Ask Nicely

_Hiya, so this one could be seen to be a little random... I got thinking... (yep uh-oh moment) and remembered what the 9th Doctor said to Rose when they were running from the Autons... _

_"The assembled hoards of Genghis Khan couldn't..." I think it sounded something like 'break down the TARDIS doors' / similar, (don't quote me on it though) _

_So here it is... River and the Doctor running from... oh you'll read... _

_Doctor: 12th Doctor (he's becoming my favourite to write about... and he's not really real... I like the shiny silver waistcoat though!)  
_

_And they both know each other for the same amount of time (surprisingly enough) so it's more of when she was his companion (properly) _

_Hope it's turned out alright :D_

* * *

You Can Always Ask Nicely

The TARDIS hummed and whirred mid flight, the Doctor and River were sitting on the old sofa flicking through the pages in her little blue book.

"I remember that!" The Doctor said cheerfully as he remembered the Weeping Angels incident. River grinned as she flicked the next page, it was blank.

"Hmmm, must have turned over two when I wrote." She dismissed it.

"Or maybe..." The Doctor said thoughtfully, "They were stuck together." River laughed at him. "Yep, that's me, clever too. Not just a pretty face." And she laughed even harder, almost falling off the chair.

The console bleeped rapidly and the lights flickered to get their attention. The Doctor hopped off the sofa to check the screen.

"Code Mauve?" He said as he read out the readings, "Oooh, better check it out. Just in case. Last time I saw a Code Mauve it was slap bang in the middle of London."

"Must have caused a riot." River commented.

"No, they laughed at me." The Doctor said embarrassed, "It was the middle of the Blitz."

"That makes sense." River nodded her head in understanding but he could still see her smiling.

"Well, this one is, heading straight for Earth, Asia, just on the border between Mongolia and China. And the year is... 1194. "

"Shouldn't be too bad. Pre industrial revolution if I remember my history lessons," She grinned at the Doctor, "So not so many people around, more scattered, and that's..." She broke off as they watched a simulation of the trajectory a circular device landing a few hundred feet away from a cluster of tents.

"The general rule, but Code Mauve's love to break them." The Doctor commented grimly, "It looks like a Daltin Bomb."

"Not good." River stated as they watched it land. The TARDIS landed too, only it parked safely out of the bomb's blast zone. Good for the TARDIS, but they would have to move quickly if they were going to bring it back safely.

"Nope." He looked at his watch and then zoomed in to take a closer look at the bomb. "Hmmmm, looks as though we have around fifteen minutes before it hits mauve." They watched as people in armour clambered out from the tents to investigate the noise. They saw the bomb and then slowly approached it, swords raised. After deciding that it resembled metal and assumed that it was treasure of some sort, they hefted it up and took it into their camp. The Doctor and River watched as their job just got a little more trickier.

* * *

_A few minutes later_

The Doctor and River song stood in a tent in front of all the soldiers, and right at the other end of the tent was Emperor Genghis Khan himself. The Doctor pulled along a hovertrolley which was going to be used to transport the bomb back to the TARDIS where it could be safely disposed of.

"His empire stretched out from the Caspian Sea to the Sea of Japan, whatever this guy wanted, he got. Better be nice and ask politely." The Doctor instructed River who looked at the Emperor and beamed at him. Genghis Khan smiled back at both strangely dressed visitors and their strange cargo. He wasn't smiling after the odd man spoke.

* * *

_7 minutes, 23 seconds later_

"Run faster Doctor!" River shouted into her sonic screwdriver as she twisted her head to see behind her.

"I am running!" His voice crackled back. They were using setting 25 on their sonics to communicate as they ran.

"Well run faster!" River yelled and then stepped up her pace a little more. The Doctor was a few hundred feet behind her, pushing along a large silver hovertrolley with the bomb on it. Behind them was a hoard of warriors, thundering feet and angry shouts as they attempted to catch up with the two thieves who had stolen from their leader.

River skidded to a halt as she approached the TARDIS and slotted the key into the lock and turned it swiftly. The door clicked open and she ran in, flipping levers and switches ready to leave. The Doctor ran up the incline still pushing the hovertrolley along.

"River!" He called and she hastily ran back out and pushed both of the TARDIS doors open so the hovertrolley could fit into the doorway.

"Ready to go?" She asked leaning against the shut doors as she got her breath back. The Doctor shook his head as he positioned the hovertrolley right in front of the doors.

"Can't teleport mid flight." He told her.

"What?"

"Lots of sparks." He said waving his arms, "Not very healthy." He walked over to the screen and pulled it round while accessing the menu.

"Watch the bomb, when the dial goes towards the dark red mauvey colour then we have to hurry." He instructed and River leant over the bomb to have a look. The needle in the dial was pointing to amber.

"We're alright for now."

"Good, now where can we send you?" The Doctor wondered. They could hear the army's shouting get a little louder as they approached the TARDIS.

"Maybe you might want to hurry it a little." River said slowly.

"Is it red?" The Doctor asked panicked.

"No, it's still amber but they're coming. And they don't sound like they want to invite us back for dinner."

"Nah, we should be alright." The Doctor said confidently as he began to select potential coordinates. "Probably." He added and walked over to the hovertrolley. "Hmmm, would've thought it would be mauve by now." He mused and tapped the glass dial with his finger. The needle swung round from amber, through orange, and then slowed down as it hit red and began to inch closer to the dark mauve.

The Doctor chuckled nervously as River looked up at him in shock, "Must have been a bit stuck. Fixed it now though." He said, looking up at her, she looked panicked now.

"Doctor, I don't care which black hole you send it down, but it goes. Now." She told him and they both moved away from the bomb and to the side of the console which was furthest away from it.

"Right, it can go, to, the...black hole, in the Snyzzy System." He decided and quickly began to input the coordinates.

The bomb began to hum and he paused to look up at it.

"That's not good." He commented and then pushed up the final lever and yanked it to the right. "And send."

The hovertrolley and the bomb which sat on it faded in and out of sight for a few moments before it completely dematerialised, straight into the heart of the black hole.

The TARDIS juddered from side to side as the first soldiers of the army slammed into it. The Doctor and River exchanged a look of surprise and then sprung into action.

"Quick!" The Doctor shouted and River began to wind a crank. The flipped switches on the dashboard as the TARDIS sounded the alarm that they were under attack. The high pitched klaxon blared out loudly.

"Hurry up! They're battering my door down!" The Doctor cried out as the door shuddered.

"I thought you had extrapolator shielding." River shouted back as she spun a sphere round and then used the hammer to knock it back into place. They were aware that the army was getting louder and more raucous as they knew they were about to break in.

"Yes, but..." The Doctor paused mid-flick of a switch, "I guess it doesn't do much against old fashioned battering." He guessed as the TARDIS engines started up, "Or the assembled hoards of Genghis Khan." He added.

The console glowed brightly and the engines began to thrum. River pushed a few more buttons so that their course would take them back into the time vortex. The army couldn't be heard anymore over the whirring noise of the TARDIS as it began to dematerialise. There was one, very loud thud just before the TARDIS flew off. The Doctor and River looked at the door but then the mood changed rapidly as they laughed and began to decide where next to go.

* * *

_Seconds earlier_

They had run up the small hill to where the big blue box sat. The thieves had just run inside, they could easily break the box and take them back to the leader. They began to kick the sides, slam into the doors and shout as the wood seemed to shake.

Then all of a sudden, the box made the strangest noise. It was deafening sound and they covered their ears in an attempt to muffle it. A strong breeze picked up and they were all pushed away from the box, dust was blown into their faces. _What was this?_ They wondered. They had never come across an enemy which acted this way.

Then the box disappeared, just for a second before reappearing. Now this really spooked the hoard. They backed away even further as the breeze got stronger and the noise louder. The enemy was escaping! Just before the box disappeared altogether one angry soldier chucked his axe at the TARDIS doors where it jammed itself into the wood, juddering in place before the box disappeared from sight.

It left a crowd of scared and slightly confused soldiers wondering whether they should return back to camp or not where there would be a very angry emperor waiting for some good news which they didn't have.

* * *

_Liked it? _

_Soooooo, I'm on an idea holiday... but totally welcoming prompts. Give me a time or a place or both or even a famous person and I'll write._


	9. Rogue Kroac and Just A Rogue

_What can I say, I'm a Jack fan. :D And I had to put this up because it's Doctor Who's 47th birthday. Happy birthday! (streamers and ballons ect) Yep, exactly 47 years ago on the 23rd of November Doctor Who was first aired on the lovely BBC. And all this time later, we're still hiding behind our sofas! :D _

_So here, it's the 11th Doctor this time._

_And River knows him a lot longer than he knows her. (This probably happens in the time that Amy and Rory go on their honeymoon or pop back home to see family or something). (And this is before the other one where they landed in Cardiff, Crash Landed) :D _

* * *

Rogue Kroac and 'Just-A-Rogue'

"A bit closer." The Doctor hissed to River and she moved the joystick. "Yep," He leaned out of the doorway a little further, shifting the net pole in his hands a bit more forwards.

"Better?" River whispered back and the Doctor inched the net closer, ever so slowly towards the unsuspecting Kroac. "How dangerous is this thing again?" She quizzed quietly.

"Very." The Doctor said and huffed out a breath as he stood on tiptoe, raised the net and brought it down, narrowly missing the Kroac's shiny metal tail. "Follow it!" He yelled as he caught his balance, shut the doors in one swift movement, discarded the net and ran back to the console. The red dot on the screen, which symbolised the rogue Kroac, showed that it was heading for something they were hoping it wouldn't go for.

"It's heading for the Rift Doctor!" River said, stepping out of the way as the Doctor ran around the console, hammer in hand whilst flicking a switch every now and again.

"Oh behave." He scolded to the TARDIS as it lurched from side to side, travelling through time and space. "It's heading down the Rift to, well this one, ends up in Cardiff."

"Cardiff?"

"Earth." The Doctor explained while he stabilised the engines and she then nodded her head in understanding.

They touched down at the Plass and quickly stepped out of the TARDIS. It was very late and there was no one around, just them and the stars twinkling above. The Doctor was holding a piece of string to which was attached a cube of space junk which had a No-Grav globe stuck to the top. It rendered the metal weightless and he pulled it along like a kite. River was right behind him with the net. She extended the pole so it had the longest reach and they looked up to the night sky and waited.

Behind them, a man with a wide smile, cropped brown hair wearing a dark blue greatcoat rose up from the pavement on a hidden lift. Jack stepped off from the slab and walked up behind the two. He knew it was the Doctor; he had exited from the TARDIS._ He's changed again. _He noted before noticing the woman at his side. They both hadn't noticed him, instead stood scrutinising the sky.

"Well hello." Jack greeted them in his American drawl, for some odd reason he hadn't lost his accent after leaving the country all those years ago. Still, he preferred it to a Welsh one. The Doctor spun round, his fringe flopping from left to right.

"Jack?"

"Hello Doc." Jack grinned.

The Doctor slapped Jack's shoulder. "Cardiff, you, I should've known. Always popping up!" The Doctor said beaming at him.

"What'd you mean, I'm stuck here. You made it so, rebreaking my Vortex Manipulator." The Captain huffed sulkily before grinning again at the Time Lord. River raised her eyebrows in surprise; she knew that only Time Agents had Vortex Manipulators.

"See you've changed your face again." Jack noted, taking in the longer brown hair, the tweed ensemble and the bright red bow tie. "Bowtie, really?"

"Bowties are cool." The Doctor defended and Jack shrugged his shoulders.

"And who's your lovely friend?" He asked as he offered his hand to River. She simply stared back at him, "I'm Captain Jack Harkness." He grinned, and she didn't.

"Oh stop it." The Doctor told him using his warning voice and Jack slowly withdrew his hand.

"Well, we took the quicker route." The Doctor announced, "So..." He glanced at his watch, "It should be coming through soon-ish. Look sharp." River turned her back on Jack and looked up at the night sky.

"It?"

"There's rogue Kroac swimming through the Rift, heading here." The Doctor explained.

"Oh." Jack realised as he took in what the Doctor was holding and the net in River's hand. "Are you working?" And the Doctor nodded in reply. "So who's mysterious?" Jack asked jerking his head in River's direction. The Doctor frowned at Jack.

"She's a friend." Jack raised his eyebrows.

"River Song." River introduced herself, but didn't turn around.

"Nice to meet you." Jack replied smiling again. The Doctor shook his head, even though he smiled too.

"Not sure I can say the same to a Time Agent." River replied coldly.

"Ex-Time Agent." Jack corrected and River turned to face him.

"Really? I heard that once you're in, you never leave the service."

"Well, that's the general rule." He quipped, "I was a Time Agent, then a rogue Time Agent, and after that just a rogue." The Doctor chuckled as he looked up to the sky again.

"And then I met him." Jack pointed at the man in tweed who grinned back. "Completely changed me. Him and Rose." The Doctor's smile dimmed fractionally before he beamed in response as he remembered his former companion.

River nodded her head, "Yes, Rose, she's lovely. Very funny." As she thought back to her encounter with the blonde hair, brown eyed woman. Both Jack and the Doctor snapped their head to face her. "I'll tell you the joke later." She laughed and lifted up the net as she saw a glint of silver in the sky.

"The Kroac. It's here!" The Doctor shouted and then jerked the metal junk cube down so that it was in reach of the net.

"A Kroac, so what's that when it's at home?" Jack asked curiously as he peered up in the sky at the moving shiny metallic creature.

"It's a creature, similar kind of body structure to an alligator or crocodile, got the same kind of snout and tail, except instead of moving through water, it can travel though space." The Doctor spoke hurriedly. Jack watched as the Kroac slowly circled lazily through the night air above them. There were row upon row of tiny holes on its metal skin which exhaled concentrated hot air from its steam engine to propel itself along. It hissed and flicked its tail as it saw the metal cube. The bait had definitely caught its attention.

The Doctor ran forwards a little and the cube bobbed on the string. The Kroac dipped down in the space above them and Jack fished out his gun and aimed it at the creature.

"Don't!" The Doctor shouted, but Jack had let loose a warning shot. The creature watched as the bullet sailed through the air and it opened its mouth swallowing the bullet whole.

"Oh." Jack said. The Kroac liked to eat metal. "Nice bait." He added as he realised what the cube was for.

River swept the net from the side and the Kroac was almost caught, but it slipped out in the last second. "Damn!" She muttered and skipped back as the Kroac now was taking more interest in the three people below. And the Doctor frowned, although they weren't food to the Kroac, it could still try and take a bit out of them if it got too annoyed.

"Try again!" He shouted as he tugged on the string which made the space junk cube go up and down attractively in the air. Or as he hoped was attractive to a Kroac. Jack had pulled out another, chunkier gun from his jacket pocket. He took aim as River skipped forwards raising up the net. He fired a dart which was attached to a piton and as it arched towards the metal creature he pressed the blue button on the side of the gun.

Volts of electricity danced down the piton line and cracked over the skin of the creature. It thrashed in the air for a few seconds before it began to fall. But the electricity looped back of the skin and back down the line because it had nowhere else to go. Electricity fed itself back through the stun gun and into Jack's arms. He jerked where he stood and then collapsed. River caught the unconscious Kroac neatly in the net and trapped it shut. It was made of dense plastic and so the Kroac couldn't chew its way out.

The Doctor had walked over to stand at Jack's head. River lifted the Kroac over her shoulder and went to stand beside him. She took his hand and he turned to look at her.

"I'm sorry; he was your friend, even if he is an ex-Time Agent." She told him softly as they looked down at him, one hand still clasping the stun gun.

"He'll be fine." The Doctor replied causally as Jack shuddered and took in a deep breath while sitting up.

"Oh, that's nasty. That makes what, electricity five, Jack zilch." He grinned up at the Doctor who weakly smiled back before extending his hand to help Jack up.

"What?" River said shaking her head at the just-dead, now alive man who was pulling himself up to his feet.

Jack caught the look on her face, "Oh don't worry, just a little party trick of mine." He chuckled as he took in another deep breath. The Doctor shook his head and River narrowed her eyes in suspicion.

"He's a friend? Are you sure Doctor? Because Time Agents have a reputation..." She said looking at the Time Lord who looked at Jack with narrow eyes too. Jack just stared back with wide eyes.

"Hey! Ex-Time Agent. I left." He told them and the Doctor smiled.

"Yeah, he's a friend. Annoyingly there, but yes, friend." And River nodded, satisfied with the answer.

Jack pulled out his phone from his pocket as the Doctor bent down to inspect the knocked out Kroac. It hissed occasionally in its sleep. "Yeah, I've just been with some old friends. No, I'm coming now." He said seriously before hanging up.

"Busy?" The Doctor asked looking up.

"It's just a regular night here in Cardiff. Tosh thinks there's some Weevils hanging around on the other side of the city and Gwen's been tracking a particularly lime light seeking alien. Now she's found it, she thinks she could do with some back up."

"You'd better go." The Doctor replied. "Oh, Gwen. Tell her I said hi. I've met her great great aunt. She was incredibly brave."

Jack nodded, "We know, we've read the files. See you around Doctor." Jack saluted cheerily and then turned to River. "Pleasure to meet you ma'am."

River quirked an eyebrow at him, "Hmmm, I'll keep an eye out for you, _ex_-Time Agent." She said jokingly and both the Doctor and his companion walked back into the TARDIS with the space junk cube and the Kroac. Jack stepped back a little and watched the blue box whirr and hum and slowly disappear from existence and grinned, that River Song, there was something about her, vaguely familiar. He sent a message to the Doctor's psychic paper before turning round and running to the car which Ianto had brought around for him.

Inside the TARDIS the Doctor was settling the Kroac into a containment cage ready for it to be released back where it belonged. Somehow it had gotten lost, Kroac's were sociable animals and they became extremely vicious, well, even more vicious than normal if separated from their shoals. His pocket felt warm and he pulled out the brown battered old leather wallet and opened it. His psychic paper had a message which faded out of existence after he read it twice.

_I remember hearing about a Professor River Song. She murdered a man, a very important man, and then was locked up inside the Stormcage facility. Be careful Doctor. _

_Captain Jack._

_

* * *

_

_Reviews let me know how I'm doing :D Prompts anyone? Time, place, famous person? Anything!_


	10. The Last Page Of The Little Blue Book

_Hiya, so I wrote about how River first met the Doctor, and now... I've written about the Doctor leaving River for the last time, when she's in the library and her Doctor is in the TARDIS. Not sure what you lot are going to think of this... _

_So, this totally is the opposite of my genre, it's not humour or adventure, it's much more sad and a little tragic... but I promise to write two happy humourous ones to make up for it... eventually. _

_River and her Doctor know each other for the same amout of time. Yet the 10th Doctor doesn't know her at all... And this Doctor seems well down the line, 15th, possibly... (aren't I odd? writing but not knowing the character's I'm writing about!) _

_The lyrics in italics are from St Vincent's song All My Stars Alligned, (they are not mine!) Thought the tone fit pretty well, song's good too._

_Disclaimer: (because I've forgotten if I've done one) Doctor Who is not mine. Just writing, here on fanfiction, only a fan, not a Doctor Who script writer. Got that distinction? Don't own anything to do with this. :D _

_

* * *

_

The Last Page Of The Little Blue Book

* * *

__

There are no signs, there are no stars aligned.

_No amulets, not a charm to bring you back to my arms..._

_...So you'll be someone, who won't be forgotten..._

He tapped on the keyboard and pulled up the screen which showed the link to the communicator device. It was linked to her nervous system and he could see the five green bars shining brightly. He sighed and leaned against the old sofa and looked at his watch. It would only be a short time, but waiting, he just felt so powerless. She would be dying, and he couldn't do anything about it.

What would happen if something went wrong? If he didn't realise in time? What if he realised too late and the final bar would go out? The Doctor jumped up from the sofa and then paused, his hand hovering over the handbrake. He stared at the lever for a moment before forcing himself to sit down. He knew that he couldn't cross his own timeline. It would be a disaster. Several disasters infact, messing with time lines was definitely a dodgy business. One was never separate, all were entangled, shining brightly, messing with them would be like knocking over the first domino in a very long line. Resulting in a total collapse. He couldn't change anything, could he?

His attention was caught when the first bar flickered. His hearts dropped from his chest down to his stomach, as if the TARDIS had lurched mid-flight. But they weren't travelling anywhere. He leaned over the console, his face inches from the screen. Just watching. Just hoping, because he couldn't do anything else. The first bar then went out.

And he knew, that across the stars and a few centuries away, there was a previous Doctor, one with hedgehog hair and a brown suit who was there with River. He was the one who was going to save her. But he wasn't her Doctor. No, that was him, he who sat and waited in the TARDIS. And his tenth regeneration, so full of pain and sorrow who had only just found a friend in Donna Noble, would see River die and not even know what she was to him. What she would be...

All the running they had did. And then his previous self would walk back to the TARDIS and leave her behind. The only time it would ever happen. Because River's Doctor couldn't be there. His hands tightened on the console and the TARDIS hummed a little louder. He watched as the second bar winked out of existence, teasing him. Time, he had so much time, but when it mattered, he was having to wait. To pass through each and every excruciating second.

Then the third green bar winked at him. Flashing in and out of existence. They had fun didn't they? So much running, chasing, dancing. They had seen so much, from the fall of the Roman Empire to Utopia. They'd had happy, sad, funny, silly, mad, completely ridiculous, terrifying moments. Each wonderful. It'd be over now. He took in a deep breath, right now his previous self was in the Great Library, he should realise soon, and then running, falling down to the planet's core.

The fourth bar flickered and his hearts jumped, they thudded quickly, as though he was sprinting away from the last Time War. But he wasn't, he sat, eyes not blinking as the fourth green light flickered. He held his breath. His tenth regeneration should be there, knowing what to do. How to save River. The communicator light flickered once more and he stared at the screen. Hoping. Praying. Wishing that it'd all work out the way it should, the way it did. He was angry with himself more than anything, he had let her go. She had been so casual when informing him she was leading her team to the Great Library, which had been abandoned for years and no one knew

It was irrational, he knew that, technically it was pretty much fixed in the timeline. But if he had learned one thing from travelling through time, it was that time itself could be rewritten. Pompeii, he could have changed that, the Time War, maybe it could have gone another way, but for them he had tried, he had exhausted every option, every chance, everything. Now it was River's turn. If he could just save her... he watched as the fourth green light flickered, then it stayed on. Then the third green light switched back on, then the second, and finally the first. All five green lights, lit up on the screen. He breathed out, not realising how long he had been holding his breath. She was downloaded into CAL's hard drive, he had done it.

* * *

_There's just this human heart, it's built with this human flaw._

_What was your question? Love is the answer_.

River paused as she made her way to the chair, he looked peaceful unconscious. He hardly ever slept anyway, preferring to wander around the TARDIS, exploring new corridors, rediscovering old rooms which had been long forgotten. Or spending hours on end in the library, which for some odd reason had kept moving closer and closer to the swimming pool. Only the TARIDS knew why. She pulled out a pair of handcuffs from her pocket. Pink and fluffy, from an adventure so long ago. As she remembered what had happened she let out a little chuckle.

She knew he would be angry with her. When he'd wake up. But she wouldn't listen to him. She strapped herself in to the chair while examining this, different, young Doctor who had answered her call. He looked a lot younger, but behind the eyes, she could see glimpses of her Doctor. The timelessness he had, all his memories, but he wasn't hers. Not fully cooked, a half painted picture. But she could see he was similar in some ways. The way he rushed around, figuring it all out. How the Great Library was the forest.

He would argue with her when he woke up. He would try and take her place. But she wouldn't let him. He could rant and shout and try to persuade her, but she wouldn't swap places with him for anything in the world. She wouldn't change anything that had happened when they travelled, all that time together...it was priceless...yet it still somehow had this cost. She knew, in a tiny dark corner of her mind that it would end someday. That was life, it was history, it always happened. But to give it up, never.

And of course it had been so obvious, between the choice of her and him, she'd always put herself up. The Doctor had his own time to follow, this would be the last meeting, but it wasn't the end of their time together. From the looks of it, today was their first meeting. She smiled as he stirred, muttering something about sonic screwdrivers. She grinned.

She had met her Doctor only two weeks ago. He had cut his hair and wore a suit, now that she thought about it, it was probably his way of telling her. He had never said anything explicitly, no goodbye, but then again none of the usual either. He was acting different and now she understood. They had stood on the top of the first Darillium Tower and listened to them sing. They hummed and the music rang through them, sounding beautiful.

And he had stood there, right next to her humming along. She hadn't noticed that warm salty tears were sliding down his face until she had turned to thank him for the impromptu trip. He didn't answer any of her questions, just wiped away the tears, stood silent for a little while before asking her if she wanted to visit anywhere else. She had said no, knowing she had to be back to organise the last minute details for the expedition to the Library. Now she knew why.

She smiled at the Doctor, the young Doctor, who was just beginning to wake up. The timer began to click down and he rattled his hand as he realised he was handcuffed. This one wasn't her Doctor, but the fact that a Doctor had come when she called made her smile a little more. He wasn't here, but the incomplete version of him was. She smiled at him, all those spoilers, just waiting to be lived. The places they'd go, planets they'd see, people they'd save. Everything, everywhere, everywhen. She wouldn't trade her life with the Doctor for anything. And by stepping in, just this once, she'd save him.

* * *

_I do a dance to make the rain come,_

_Smile to keep the sky from falling down, down, down, down._

He, the lonely Doctor. The constant, weary traveller would have to shuffle on. Forever moving forwards because he was too scared to look back. Behind his shoulder, to all that was dead and gone, done and dusted, his entire past. He had left so many people behind. Uprooted so many lives, and the Oncoming Storm would leave as quickly as he came, never stopping to be asked for thanks, because how could they thank him for what he had done, the messes he made, the people he couldn't save.

Because he couldn't save them all, not always. He tried, he always tried his best. He couldn't fault his tenth self, the one who wore suits and said 'brilliant' whenever something or someone was. This time he had saved River, but barely. How would she cope, trapped inside CAL's systems for all eternity. Would she like it there, would she get bored? Sure, she'd have the whole of history to run around in, but she wouldn't be herself. Not completely. And he'd never see her again. Her consciousness, locked up tightly inside a computer system.

River had been saved, but not how he had wanted her to be. Saved, as in saved on a hard drive, like Donna. But Donna could leave, her body had been fine. But the download would have fried River's brain; the most she could ever be now was a hologram, a picture of light manipulated through projectors. A warm tear slid down his face, followed by another, and then another. It wasn't fair. How was he able to save civilisations, stop wars, change how a person thought, persuade them to put down their gun and yet he couldn't save her. The one person who meant more to him than anything else. It wasn't fair.

The TARDIS bleeped twice and he wiped his tears away before turning to the screen. The five green bars glowed brightly as he stared at them. There must be something, something which he didn't yet know. Somehow, he would try to bring her back. This time he would save her. This time he would try and do more. He would happily give away one of his regenerations to her, but she was human, it couldn't happen like that. There had to be something.

It always came down to this, head over heart. Both fighting over what he should do, could do, would do. Timelines whispered a voice in the back of his mind. He squeezed his eyes tightly shut and another tear traced his face. He could do something, he could cross his timeline, he could save her, he could take her place. His hearts thumped, protesting, his head throbbed painfully. He should let it be, she was safe, he knew he couldn't meddle with the timelines. That domino effect was too dangerous. Half the universe could implode, the rest of it stretched so tight that it would snap, the delicate strings of time broken. But she was worth it all. In the end, he knew what he would do. He would have to move on, move forwards, to keep shuffling on. Leaving the destruction and the mess behind him. Move forwards because to go back, or even turn around would break his hearts.

"Now where are we off to next old girl?" He whispered to TARDIS as he walked around to the Randomiser lever. He spun it around and around tightly before letting go. It reversed direction and then slowed down, before clicking to a stop. The Time Rotors started up, the engines whirred around and the time machine was ready to follow the coordinates. The TARDIS whirred and sang to the Doctor, but he didn't hear any of it. Just silence. And a whisper of River's voice, "Spoilers sweetie!" in the back of his mind. Then an echo of her laugh, bouncing of the metal sides of the consol room.

* * *

_Liked? Review!_

_Prompts anyone? I've got one (you know who you are :D) , that chapter should be up soon, but yeah, any time, any place, any historical person, or would you like someone from the future?_


	11. Saving River

_Ladies and Gents, back by popular demand, I give you River Song! (Prompted to do so by Allebasii, I say prompted, more like ordered. So I hope you like it!) _

_Yeah, you know how I said that I was gonna wait until after my exams in January til I update, yeah, it's not happening. I got these ideas and I can't sit on them, plus the fact that there's been no school this week because of the snow (had a snowball fight today, fun!) I've had loads of spare time. So this is up now, almost a part 2 to the one before... _

_I'm working on your other prompts guys :D _

_So, this happens straight after the 'Forest of The Dead'. The Doctor is the 15th (ish, somewhere around there anyway, still not completly sure and if Moffat and Co can get away with not setting things in stone or a cliff face on Planet Zero, I think I can too.)_

* * *

Saving River

The Doctor stepped out of the TARDIS, in his hand he clutched the jam jar full of the recharged nanogenes. They whizzed around inside, chittering and glowing brightly after being recharged to 2989% by using an exploding supernova and channelling the energy through the TARDIS. He had landed in the main reception, just in front of the helpdesk; he spun around twice to get his bearings.

A round bronze sphere dropped out from its socket in the wall and hovered towards him, spinning madly around and around in the air.

"Doctor!" A crackly voice emanated from the speaker grill at the bottom of the camera. It was the voice of a young girl. "Doctor!"

"Catherine Abigail Lux!" The Doctor greeted her, attempting to smile but found his mouth only stretched a little. It was a half hearted smile.

"Doctor! They're coming! You have to leave!" CAL warned urgently, the bronze sphere spinning more frantically around him. "Doctor!"

"Yes, I see them." He whispered back, noting the thick black shadows creeping slowly towards him. Already they had enveloped the lights on the edges of the room, making their way towards fresh meat. He was reminded of River as his hearts thudded and wondered how close they were to her. He spun around on the spot towards the thickest part of the shadows.

"Vashta Nerada!" He shouted and they stalled in their advance, recognising the blue box but also the tone of voice that could only belong to the Doctor. "There is a woman several floors below, her name is River Song and she saved everyone here, the whole planet!" He paused and fixed a steely glare to the shadows. "And now, I'm going to save her."

The shadows inched a little closer and he glared furiously at it, "I don't want to repeat myself so see if you can remember. You have one warning Vashta Nerada, I'm the Doctor, you've looked me up in this library, you know what I've done, what lengths I'll go to to save someone, whoever they are. I'm the Oncoming Storm; I can tear down civilisations, stop armies and wars. You think the dark scares me; you think I'm afraid of your shadows?" He questioned and the shadows began to retreat, inching away slowly.

"Because if you think that, you're mistaken. And if you try to stop me from saving her..." His threat petered off as he looked back to the gravity platform.

"You leave her alone." He ordered and ran towards it, disabling the safety once more before jumping down the chute which lead to the data core of the planet.

The swarms of Vashta Nerada in their shadows retreated quicker as they pulled back into the corners of the reception trying to conceal themselves. They hid densely packed in the shelves of the Great Library. And they stayed there until the blue box disappeared because they had read every book in the Library, they were part of every book and they knew of the Doctor.

The ancient Time Lord with so many faces, companions and enemies. They knew of the Oncoming Storm and what he had done. The Last Great Time War with everything on fire, planets blazed and burned in the frozen expanse of space. The two mightiest races to ever exist fell, tumbled, crashing down to be no more. And the Doctor, the name he had chosen for himself, the very last of the Time Lords had done that. And while he was not afraid of them, the Vashta Nerada also known as the Piranha of the Night across several galaxies feared him and they hid. Because the wrath of the last Time Lord terrified them.

* * *

The Doctor stepped out of the gravity tube and he looked at River, motionless on the metal chair. He swallowed nervously before setting down the jam jar full of the modified nanogenes on the floor and pulled out his sonic screwdriver. He pointed it at the communicator device on River's space suit. It was working at 100% with all five bars brightly lit up. The device itself stored her consciousness and was wirelessly linked to her nervous system and to CAL's systems.

In theory he could bring her back, he couldn't see why not. The Doctor soniced the metal frame around her head and pulled it off, then he released the clamps around her hands before picking up the jam jar. He slowly unscrewed the lid and the golden nanogenes flew out slowly, chittering a little more loudly. He snapped his fingers and they collected around his head immediately. He placed his hand on River's and watched as the glowing nanogenes floated away and encircled her.

They grouped together and flittered over her body but mainly focused around her face attempting to repair the damage that the download had done. The nanogenes chittering got louder and he placed River's hand back on the side of the chair before stepping back as they continued to repair her damaged tissue. He stood and watched, taking in shaky breaths, hoping that his half baked, crazily concocted plan worked.

The nanogenes stopped glowing so brightly after a few minutes and the Doctor held out the jam jar and they swirled back inside. He replaced the jar back inside his pocket and stepped forwards tentatively. He didn't have to wait long. River's left hand moved, it was just a little twitch, but it was what he was hoping for.

The Doctor quickly moved to the computer bank at the side of the chair, pulled out the sonic screwdriver once more and began to probe it. He was reversing the download of her consciousness so that it was returned to her own body, routing it through the communicator device.

"Come on, come on, come on, come on, work." He whispered, slapping the screen as it fuzzed up. A bar flashed up on the screen showing the download as it happened. The green colour inched towards the other end and the cartoon hourglass flipped over and over again. He pressed keys on the keyboard and then drummed his fingers on the side, glancing back anxiously at River.

The computer bleeped to announce that the download was complete. Then he dropped his sonic screwdriver into his pocket and slowly turned around as River shifted in her seat. She frowned and then opened her mouth to suck in a breath, her eyes flickered open too.

"You never could let me go." She said slowly before breathlessly chuckling which then started her coughing.

"River." The Doctor replied before breaking out into a huge smile before darting forwards to help her up.

"Doctor, the Vashta Nerada?" River asked panicked. He shook his head as she put her arm around his shoulder as they walked towards the gravity platform.

"Oh, they won't bother us." He replied as he helped her up onto the platform.

"The download, did it work?" She asked as she looked around for any other people.

The Doctor looked down at her, frowning furiously. "You shouldn't have done that." He said seriously. River just smiled back at him.

"I wasn't going to let you do it." She retorted. "There wasn't any other choice sweetie."

"There's always a choice." He mumbled back.

"And I could see the one you made." She said raising an eyebrow, "How did you...?" She wondered.

"What, oh, nanogenes."

"But, I was dead."

"Supercharged nanogenes." He added.

"Oh."

They reached the main reception and the Doctor wrapped his arm around her waist so that she could lean on him as they walked back to the TARDIS. The bronze camera dropped out of its socket again.

"Goodbye River Song. Goodbye Doctor." CAL said.

"Goodbye Catherine." The Doctor replied and River waved at the camera. It dipped down in the air and then whizzed back off to its socket. They continued to walk to the TARDIS, just stopping short of the doors and the Doctor clicked his fingers and the blue doors swung open with a quiet creak.

* * *

The Doctor sat River down on the old sofa before closing the doors and walking back over to her. He leaned back on the edge of the console and watched as she pulled out her white space suit gloves from her pocket and dumped them on the side of the console.

"Doctor," He hummed, "Thank you, for coming back for me." She told him.

"Why wouldn't I?" He replied softly then broke into a huge grin. He turned around to the console and started up the time rotor. "So, where are we off to next?" He asked her and she grinned back.

"Anywhere without running." She told him, he almost pouted but nodded his head before pressing a large purple button, turning a tap to the blue side and twanging a couple of elastic bands. He reached over to crank a lever and then used the hammer on the screen when it began to act up by showing fuzzy swirls.

"Oh behave!" He scolded the time-and-space machine and River chuckled. "I know! How about the Plicre System? They've got the best beaches, you'd like them. Golden sun, purple sand..." River nodded liking the sound of it.

"Or, or, or, we could go back in time, see...I dunno, a play at the Globe theatre on Earth in the 1600s. I could get us some good seats, Shakespeare's an old friend."

"Sounds great." She said leaning forwards to flick a switch and then released the handbrake. The Doctor, for once, didn't complain or pull a face as the TARDIS took of smoothly. They sat down on the sofa again and he rummaged in his pockets.

"You need something to eat." He told her as he offered a bag of jelly babies to her.

"I thought I was sweet enough." She joked as she searched for an orange one.

"Doctor, why did you come back for me?" River asked after a quiet moment, "I mean; I was dead, for you I had been dead for years. You'd said your goodbyes long ago. Why come back and save me?" She looked at him questioningly.

The Doctor finished munching on his red jelly baby and threw his arm around her shoulder. "Because the universe just isn't the same without you, Professor River Song." He told her sincerely and she hugged him back.

"And the TARDIS is a lot quieter without you here." The Doctor tacked on after fishing out the last orange jelly baby and popped it into his mouth. River pinched his arm as a reply and he yelped. "Of course, I like it with you telling me that the handbrake is still on!" He finished off and she smiled back at him.

* * *

_Liked it? Reviews are always welcome! (hint hint) _

_BTW, does anyone else think that when the Ood say 'You're song will come to an end soon' they actually mean that River Song is going to die soon? Because it works both ways... _

_Also, has anyone heard Anya Marina's song, 'All The Same To Me'. It's so definately the tenth Doctor's song. Have a listen then match it up with bits from the episodes. When I realised my face was like : O.O eg, 'I won't run when the sky turns to flame, and I sure won't budge when the earth does shake.' Sontaran episode, the bit when he sets the sky on fire and the when Pompeii was shaking. 'When the flood comes up I will dance in the rain.' - flooding the Racnoss's baby spiders. And of course, 'So I keep on shuffling on and on, 'cos it's all the same to me.' -How about when he swans back off to the TARDIS. Do you see it? It's perfect! :D _

_And; anymore prompts ? _


	12. The Last Fez

_Hi, I'm addicted to writing this stuff. It's almost unhealthy... _

_For RAHbooks who wanted to read a story with the handcuffs. I shall write another with what you wanted too, later on, when I have an idea about it :D _

_The 11th Doctor (mainly because I can imagine him sulking, and then doing what he does at the end...) And River knows the Doctor longer than he knows her. _

_Probably sometime after Amy and Rory wander off, but not too far after them. It's still him in his bowtie. :D _

* * *

The Last Fez

"So!" The Doctor said, grinning as he dumped his tweed jacket on the rail near the console and rolled up his sleeves. River followed him into the TARDIS and up the ramp. "If we're going to the Rorinsk mountain range up on Alifise Prime Two you're going to need to change into warmer clothes." The Doctor advised as he paced quickly around the console. He pulled the screen around so that he could see it before spinning a glass globe around on the side of the Time Rotor.

"Look! It's minus eleven! And there is... half a foot of fresh snow!" He grinned at River like a child at Christmas.

"Which way is the wardrobe?" River asked as she walked down the corridor and the Doctor abandoned the snowy image on the screen to stride off after her.

"Hmmm." He said after licking his finger and sticking it in the air, "I think, it's that way." He pointed to the second left turning and they walked down the corridor. He sniffed the air, "Yep, definitely this way. Never know why but the wardrobe smells of cinnamon." He added, shaking his head.

Three right turns and a short cut through the swimming pool they stood in the doorway of the wardrobe.

"Winter clothes are there." The Doctor pointed to a rail of clothes and a large pile of coats.

"What are you going to wear? You'll freeze going out in your jacket." River asked as she looked for a coat that would fit her. She spotted a nice black one but found that it had three arm holes.

"A coat." He replied before peering over her shoulder to look at the pile. "I love my new jacket. It matches my bow tie."

River chuckled as she dug out a bright red and green furry coat. "Really?" She asked before bursting out into laughter.

"Hey! That was a present!" He told her before plucking out the vividly coloured coat from her hands and placing it back on the pile. He pulled out a large dark blue coat and put it on before wandering around to the shelves a few feet away. River rummaged around a little deeper into the pile before pulling out a white parka.

"Maybe I should wear a hat." The Doctor mused, "Where's the fez?" He muttered and River turned away from the mirror.

"What?" She asked bluntly.

"My fez. You destroyed the red one." He glared at her accusingly, "But I have a blue one. Now, I remember seeing it around here somewhere..."

He yelped suddenly as River yanked him backwards by the hood of his coat and he managed to shout "Hey!" as he fell backwards over a pair of purple moon boots before landing on the floor. He heard a loud click and River stepped back, grinning at him.

The Doctor tried to stand up but found that his right hand was handcuffed, with pink fluffy handcuffs, to the side of the spiral staircase which lead up to the shirt section.

"What?" He shouted as River disappeared behind a large rack of ties.

"You are not wearing that fez." She replied, deadly serious.

"No. No, no, no, no. What are you doing River?" The Doctor asked anxiously as he tugged at the handcuffs. They rattled noisily, metal on metal.

"Just something that needs to be done sweetie." She replied breezily.

The Doctor looked panic stricken. "Leave my fez alone!" He shouted and twisted his arm, the left one to try and fish out his sonic screwdriver from the inside the left pocket. It didn't work as well as he had hoped. His fingers could barely reach inside the pocket.

"River." He warned.

"Sweetie." She called back, mimicking his 'serious' tone perfectly.

"But, we're going outside, minus eleven degrees. Twenty percent of your body heat is lost through your head. I need my fez!"

"No sweetie, not the fez. You've got so many other hats to choose from." She called from inside the changing rooms as she checked behind the curtains to see if the fez was in there. The Doctor continued to tug and shake the cuffs.

"Oh, Houdini could do it!" He muttered frustrated, "River? Could I have the key to unlock these?" The Doctor asked politely.

"Sure sweetie. After I've found the fez." She replied.

"Where _did_ you get these from?" He shouted as he squirmed, still attempting to shake the fluffy cuffs open.

"Spoilers." River laughed back and then appeared from behind a mound of 80's clothing. She skipped forwards, "Look what I found." She waggled the metallic blue fez in front of his face and he tried to grab it.

"River, give it back. And let me go. Now."

River shook her head, her smile was still glued to her face as the Doctor's expression turned to one of horror from her next sentence.

"Say goodbye, au revoir, sayonara and log t'ai to the last fez." She told him and he watched her as she walked out of the wardrobe and off to the control room. His mouth dropped open and he sat on the floor in shock. He heard the TARDIS doors creak open. Then he frowned as he knew that River had thrown his last fez out, into the time space vortex.

She walked back into the wardrobe and opened the handcuffs with a key from her pocket. The Doctor stood up, pushing his hair back and straightened his red bow tie while glaring at his companion.

"If you want to dress up, I saw a pirate hat, and I think there's a cowboy hat in the attic." River commented and the Doctor huffed before striding off to the console room, River followed him. "Sweetie, are you not talking to me now?" She asked amused at his behaviour.

The Doctor didn't reply and she walked over to the screen as he plopped onto the sofa. "You're going to sulk?" River laughed and the Doctor glared at the Time Rotor. "How old are you Doctor, because right now I can see a little toddler, four, perhaps five. Certainly not the Oncoming Storm, the Time Lord of over nine hundred years old."

River tutted as she inputted the coordinates for the mountain range and released the handbrake. The Doctor hopped off the sofa only to make a slight adjustment to the coordinates, wind up a crank and the TARDIS whirred noisily as he clicked the handbrake back on. He jumped back onto the sofa as the TARDIS lurched from side to side, staring at River, daring her to turn the handbrake off. She only shook her head as she held onto the console, still chuckling at the sulking Doctor.

The TARDIS landed with a soft thud, jerking both travellers. "We're here!" River announced as she looked at the screen. It showed the snow falling lightly outside, the sky had twinkling stars and the planet Insu which Alifise Prime Two orbited hung low in the sky. The purple gases in its atmosphere swirled around lazily.

The Doctor hopped off the sofa once more to look at the screen. "It's snowed here continuously since 32926." He commented, taken in by the beautiful scenery. He pulled up one of the grates on the floor and fished out a long black and blue stripy scarf.

"Not sulking now?" River asked as he jumped up, smiling at the screen.

"No." He sighed, "But what you did was wrong." He told her seriously and she simply grinned at him.

"Come on sweetie!" River called as she walked down the ramp and out of the doors.

"I really did like that fez." He mused before catching up with her as she trudged along in the knee deep snow. As they walked the Doctor explained the brief history of the planet.

The water planet's temperature had been dropping steadily since 32900, but in 32916 there had been a flash freeze and the planet had been dropped into an ice age. Waves had frozen mid roll, leaving behind an amazing landscape of glittering ice and snow. After trekking through the snow for twenty minutes they came to the top of a ridge where they could see the Toring Lights the planet was famous for. They were similar to the Northern Lights on Earth, but instead of being in the atmosphere they were trapped in the ice. Purple, blue and green flashes of light strobed along the landscape.

"It's beautiful." River commented after a few speechless moments. Their breath condensed in the air before them and River's nose had turned red from the cold.

"It is." The Doctor agreed before smiling widely at her. "River, you can go on walking, just past that dip." He pointed towards a series of curves in the ice which were waves from the sea, flash frozen. "Yes, there's a whole town within an eco-sphere a two minute walk away." River looked and she could make out a faint yellow glow from behind the towering icy waves.

"Why, where are you going?" She asked him.

"Oh, I need to sort out my shoes, I'll catch up." He grinned at her and River nodded. She began to trek through the snow again. The Doctor bent down and fiddled with his laces, watching as River slid down the ridge and walked towards the dip.

He straightened up as she approached the ice structures and delved down into his inside left pocket, pulling out his sonic screwdriver. He fumbled with the buttons for a moment with his cold hands. "Setting two hundred and three, no four." He nodded as he remembered. Then he aimed it at the icy waves, closing one eye and he pressed the button. The sonic screwdriver buzzed loudly.

The snow on top of the ice wave River had just stepped under shifted as the bottom layer was heated so that it loosened from the ice. The snow slid off the top of the wave and it poured over her like a powdery waterfall, burying her up to her hips. The Doctor heard her shout and he beamed at the sight of the snow covered River.

"Now, that's for chucking away my fez!" He said quietly, grinned proudly once more at his job well done. Then he began to trudge through the snow, hastily rearranging his smug expression to one of shock and sympathy as she twisted around and held her hands out for him to pull her out.

* * *

_You can feed my addiction with prompts! Time, places, people, future, past, famous or not... anything goes and anything will work. Ideas! _

_And reviews are brilliantly fantastic so this is a thank you to all who have reviewed this story, alerted it, favourited it (and this thank you also extends to those who will do all the things mentioned beforehand in the near future): Thank you. :D _

_To Sanguine Ink and Allebasii: I'm working on the Rose and River story. It shall be up next. I haven't forgotten and I will make it up to you! _


	13. Of Winners and Losers

_Hiya, so here's another one... still playing on the fact that River may/may not be the Doctor's wife... the rumours!_

_This is with the...12th Doctor or onwards... :D Hmmm, and River knows the Doctor for longer! _

* * *

Of Winners and Losers

'But you you're a rock with a heart like a socket I can plug into at will.'  
-Marry Me, St Vincent-

* * *

"The Doctor will surrender the TARDIS. The Doctor shall surrender to the Daleks." The robotic tones of the Daleks sounded over the intercom. They had shut down the TARDIS's engines and the emergency lights; the only light was from the screen. The Doctor stared at it in shock. Because outside the very breakable wooden doors was an entire fleet. He continued to stare at the screen as the Daleks repeated their demands.

"Doctor?" River asked quietly as she watched the screen too. He zoomed in and panned the screen around to see the sheer number of Daleks. She called his name again but this time he didn't hear anything but his two hearts beating._ Thump thump, thump thump._

And it was the truth. He had lost and he always would. Because no matter what he did theDaleks survived, while he was left with the consequence of his actions. The Last of the Time Lords. But there would always be Daleks. And his actions had been in vain. If there had been any other way to stop them he would have done it. He couldn't think of anything else at the time. He went against orders and tried to save the rest of the universe. Because that was the thing at stake, why they had all battled so fiercely in the last Great Time War.

But the Daleks had escaped, broken, battered, sometimes even beyond repair. But they had survived. And while the rest of his race had burned in the sky and thousands of voices screamed in the darkness, the Daleks escaped and they lived and they continued to do what they had always done, which was to exterminate. And then all across time, all over space. Scattered across galaxies they survived. And he had lost everything.

River watched as the Doctor stared at the screen, deep in thought, and she understood why. She reached over and put her hand over his. "Doctor." She called and this time he heard her. He turned away from the screen to face her, nodding. "Doctor, what do we do?" She asked seriously. He stared at her face for a moment before breaking into a wide grin.

"A job well done." He replied, and then his face became serious.

"They've dampened the TARDIS' engines." River replied as she pressed buttons on the main console. "And power is reduced to...minus twenty percent."

"Right." The Doctor said as he pulled out his sonic screwdriver. "Red settings." He waggled it at River.

"Since when does your sonic have red settings?" She frowned back.

"Oh, a good friend suggested it." He waved his hand as he rushed around the TARDIS, flipping switches while yanking a lever back into place. "And...reboot." He pointed to the Time Rotor as it lit up. He pressed a small neon blue button and the engines began to thrum once more.

"The Doctor shall surrender." The Daleks cried from outside.

"Hello Daleks!" The Doctor shouted as he flipped on the loudspeaker. "Long time no see! But, the thing is, me and River have decided to decline your kind offer. Instead we're going to do this..." River cut off the loudspeaker and piloted the TARDIS out of the Dalek fleet while the Doctor fumbled with an extrapolator he pulled out from the cupboard under the stairs.

The now infuriated Daleks continued to repeat their message, blasting it through the TARDIS speakers. "The Doctor shall surrender."

He laughed as he began to hook up the extrapolator to various parts of the console, pointing at different wires which River tied into place. "The Doctor will not." He retorted loudly, laughing as River let out a nervous chuckle as she attached a blue crocodile clip next to the mustard dispenser.

"The Doctor will surrender." The Daleks repeated and the Doctor shook his head as the last few wires were connected, they fed the extrapolator's energy through the TARDIS engines, which then amplified it by using a supernova's heat waves and concentrated it down.

"Like I said, we refused. But you can always leave. You can go; you don't have to do this." The Doctor offered, his voice strained as he already knew the answer. "You can leave; don't bring this on yourselves, not again."

"The Doctor is the enemy of the Daleks, he will be exterminated." The Daleks sounded over the loudspeaker.

"I warned you." The Doctor shouted, his hands frozen, inches above the lever. "Don't do this. You can stop this! The war ended so long ago, no one won then, no one will now."

"Exterminate!" The Daleks screamed and then the TARDIS rocked from side to side as it was fired on.

The Doctor didn't move and River stumbled over. "Doctor." She called and he snapped out of his thoughts to look at her.

"No one wins." He repeated quietly to her.

"I know, but if we don't, then everyone loses." She reminded him sadly, they clung onto the rail as the TARDIS shook from another volley of explosions. The Doctor nodded sadly and then they both put a hand on the lever, the other still clinging onto the console, and brought it down, clicking it into place.

A wave of golden-orange energy shot out in a circle, with the little blue box at the epicentre. It rolled through the Dalek fleet, destroying the ships and turning them into little chunks of space junk.

* * *

_Just like to say a thank you to all who continue to review, 'Thank you!' and those who add this series-story to chapter alerts and have stuck on their favourites 'Thanks!' _

_For another thank you, you know what to do :D _

_And... prompts? Working on the ones I've got now... but don't hurt to ask? A historical figure?_

_If you want something christmassy- my new story '5 Times: Christmas Presents' :D _


	14. When Rose Met River

_Hey, so took long... I wasn't sure how to end it... _

_Prompt: Rose meeting River.  
Prompters: Allebasii and Sanguine Ink. _

_I hope you like it and I hope I've made up for the long delay, sorry about that! :D _

_

* * *

_

When Rose Met River

There was a loud crack and then a ripple of electricity which seemed to split the air. Suddenly a young woman with blonde hair and a dark blue jacket appeared out of thin air. Slung over her shoulder was a large, quite dangerous looking gun. She sucked in a deep breath, blinked twice then set of running down the alleyway.

Rose Tyler was back in the universe that she had been born in, but she was two and a half galaxies away from the planet she called home and over three millennia into the future. There was only one man she would have stepped across universes for, to brave the darkness of the Void, running from a starless sky and the inky black night to warn him. Because the Doctor was the only person who could save them from the never ending darkness that had claimed countless universes.

"Doctor! Doctor!" Rose shouted as she ran down the streets. It was dusk and the two suns were slowly dropping out of the sky leaving buildings and tower blocks bathed in a deep red and orange glow. They left ripples of light on the glass walls and shop fronts. "Doctor!" Rose shouted as she took yet another left down a similar looking street.

While the sight of the blonde woman carrying a huge gun shouting for a doctor would have been alarming for many people, nobody batted an eyelash as she passed them. This was due to a silver key on a necklace on her neck. A key, which unfortunately for her she never used anymore. ATARDIS key and so was linked to the machine and the perception filter it used. A little tweaking by the resident Torchwood science technician Malcolm and she was good to go.

* * *

Professor River Song had just walked out of the University of Creeda when she heard shouts in the distance. Immediately, and much to the amusements of colleagues, students and passersby, she raced off towards the shouts calling the Doctor.

She got closer and closer and the shouts became louder. _Another left turn and he should be there. _She thought as she judged the closeness of the voice. And she took the left turn, expecting to see that familiar old blue box or a man racing holding a sonic screwdriver out, pointing it at everything and anything. Instead she passed a young blonde woman, who appeared to be human; who simply raced passed her shouting, "Doctor!"

So River did the only thing she could, "Where?" She shouted. The young blonde stalled and then spun around on the spot, taking in River and analysing her. Then she replied slowly, considering each word. "I don't know. I'm looking for him."

River let out a chuckle, "Good luck. He's a tricky man to pin down. And I should know." She shook her head and watched the young blonde stare at her.

"So, you know him?"

"Yes." River replied.

"And you've travelled with him..." Rose asked curiously.

River nodded her head. "Who are you?"

"I'm Rose Tyler. And I need to find the Doctor." Rose answered seriously, before extending her hand out.

River shook her hand, "I'm Professor River Song." Rose nodded in acknowledgement. There was an awkward pause before River spoke, "Which Doctor are you looking for?" She asked curiously.

"What do you mean?"

"What does your Doctor look like?" River asked again.

"Last time I saw him he wore a brown suit, long coat, red converses, brown spiky hair, and brown eyes. Said brilliant a lot." Rose explained and smiled at the she remembered him.

River shook her head, "I don't think I've met him. Last time I saw the Doctor was two and a half weeks ago. Well, it was his fourteenth regeneration. We don't meet in a linear order, more of a wibbly wobbly timey wimey kind."

Rose nodded, understanding and then suddenly pulled out a beeping communicator and flipped it open. "Hello? Yes, I'm fine. No wrong again. Yeah, I'll see you in an hour." She sighed and snapped the communicator shut. "This is the sixteenth time I've missed him." She scowled at the ground. "And we thought it was going to work this time. Malcolm was so sure of it."

"How _are_ you tracking him down?" River asked curiously.

"A Dimension Cannon. It can isolate specific time lines allowing me to lock on and travel to a specific point in a specific person's timeline. But it hasn't worked." Rose sighed again, "I wonder why it tracked you?" She turned to look at River, her eyebrows knitted up as she took in the woman who was clearly not the man she was looking for.

"Wibbly wobbly timey wimey." River explained, waving her hand. Rose raised her eyebrows in reply. "Maybe it's because our timelines are two tangled up. We meet each other in such a non-linear order it most probably confused your Dimension Cannon." River explained thoughtfully.

"Oh, right. Well, I'll tell Malcolm to avoid you." Rose replied seriously and then they both chuckled.

"Tea?" River asked and Rose nodded.

"I've got some spare time." She replied grinning.

* * *

Rose sat on a bench further down the street where there were few people walking across the streets and no one paid attention to her, because of the perception filter that Malcolm and Mickey designed. Sometimes she felt like their guinea pig but she didn't care, so long as she found the Doctor again she would continue to cross over the Void and test the many inventions plonked down on her desk.

River returned a few minutes later with two plastic mugs full of steaming liquid, wisps of steam curled up and Rose took hers with a smile.

"Mmmm, tea." She said taking a sip and then frowned. "That's not tea." She peered at the sweet, hot purple liquid that sloshed around in the purple plastic mug.

"No." River grinned, "But it's the closest thing to it this side of the galaxy. It's called Allebasii." She elaborated sitting down next to her on the metal bench.

"You're right, it's nice." Rose agreed.

"Mmmm, there's a little drinks shop a few streets away called Sanguine Ink, its speciality, but most of us humans don't like it. It's an acquired taste." Rose laughed.

"No, hold on, I think I've heard of that before, Sanguine Ink...where?" Rose paused and then realisation flashed through her eyes. "The Doctor! And Dilmas!" And then she burst into giggles.

River raised her eyebrows wanting to hear more as she sipped on the warm drink, waiting for Rose to explain. "We was at this market once, long time ago on a planet called Dilmas. And he had just regenerated like, oh, about a week ago, so his likes and dislikes were just, causing havoc." She waved her hand just to emphasis the point.

"It's...different to watch. A little odd...but funny too." River agreed grinning, trying to find the right words to describe the experience of watching the Doctor discover what his taste buds liked and hated.

"Exactly!" Rose said, "So he was wandering round all the stall, picking up food, I dunno, fruit and vegetables randomly and then just taking bites out of them!" Rose laughed loudly and River joined in as she pictured the Doctor.

"I bet people stared when he came across something he disagreed with."

"Oh, you have no idea." Rose continued, "So we end up at this stall selling drinks and he picks that one, Sanguine Ink." She paused to laugh and then caught her breath, "Takes the biggest gulp ever, and then spits it out on the floor in front of the stall holder!"

River laughed and then clutched at the mug to stop it from tipping over. "What happened?"

"The Doctor just sorta stared at the cup and then stared at the stallholder and said '_I don't like Sanguine Ink.'_ And I was just so confused, and the stallholder didn't know what to say either. We just quickly walked off!" Rose finished, taking in deep breaths.

"Did he like bananas then?" River asked curiously.

Rose nodded her head after taking another sip of the sweet drink. "Yeah, swapped them for squareness guns too."

"Because he was extremely sulky after finding out he didn't like them in his twelfth regeneration."

The two women nattered on about the Time Lord, reminiscing about days gone, the mad adventures they had, running through time and space all across the universe. For Rose, she was glad, she had found out the Doctor's future, _her _Doctor's future, and she loved hearing about it. She was happy that he had found someone; she knew it was selfish of her to expect him to be lonely without her.

River was interested to hear all the Doctor's past adventures, of Daleks and the Nestine Consciousness and all that running. She loved to see him run. The chatting broke off as the small round device in Rose's pocket bleeped.

"An hour." She said, smiling as she stood up and put the plastic mug on the floor. "Time for me to go."

River nodded as gave the other blonde woman a quick hug. "You take care Rose Tyler, and I hope you find him soon."

"Fingers crossed!" Rose replied and then pressed the button and disappeared in a blue flash, the air around her rippled and then settled. Rose Tyler had jumped back to her universe, and River Song sat on the bench a little longer, twisting the mug in her hands before pulling out a battered old leather wallet. She sent off a quick psychic message, one which she should have sent a day ago.

_Sweetie, come quick. The university has technology which it shouldn't have. Tests are being run and the time distortions are increasing. Think that the Meepon are involved. Missed you, River xxx._

_

* * *

_

_So, apologise once more for the ridiculous delay... hope you liked it :D_

_Do any of you know much about the Eye of Harmony? _


	15. Stetsons Are Cool AU

_Ah guys, you know I'm addicted to writing this... so... I've seen a little teensy sneak peek into the next series... and this is taken from the line, 'Stetsons are cool'. Because the Doctor thinks they are. _

_River knows the Doctor for longer and he's the eleventh. Matt Smith is fairly easy to write surprisingly :D _

* * *

Stetsons Are Cool

The Doctor, Amy and Rory unclenched their hands from the rail, the screen and Amy's shoulder as the TARDIS landed with a rather gentle thump. Amy and the Doctor grinned at each other and then dashed for the doors, shoving and elbowing to get there first so that they could be the one to throw them wide open. Rory followed behind grinning at the two and how they were acting like children, but even he wanted to see what kind of landscape was outside.

But they were all a little surprised when Amy pulled the left door open and all they could see was reddish, yellow sand. The Doctor stepped out and turned around with his sulky face on.

"Some mystery stop." He huffed.

"Where are we?" Rory asked as he stepped out. Outside was a flat landscape with sand covering everything. Dusty and very dry. He could feel the heat in the air and Amy had unzipped her jumper and chucked it over the closest railing inside the TARDIS. They stood for a moment, and watched a little brown lizard scuttle over the sparse pale green weeds.

"We're in the Wild West. Not so wild though. I think Rio was wilder." The Doctor said morosely. "The point of a mystery stop is the fact that it's a mystery. I was expecting to figure out why no one likes Clom! Earth has no mystery here, the Wild West is no mystery, it was full of cowboys riding horses and bars and pistols and those boots which have the little shiny thingamabobs on the back that spin around. Yeah, and Stetsons..." He paused, to take a breath in and also to think, "I like Stetsons." He decided and walked back into the TARDIS.

"Doctor?" Amy called and Rory shook his head as the man in tweed disappeared from sight. Amy leaned against the TARDIS doorframe and stuck her head in before shouting again. "DOCTOR!"

Rory winced before smiling at his wife who had turned around with an annoyed expression on her face. "Doctor? Are we staying here?" She called.

"What?" The Doctor's voice echoed down the corridors, "Oh, maybe just a little while, since we're here already."

"I'm going to get changed. Need my boots." Amy said and Rory went with her to keep her company.

They met back outside the TARDIS seven minutes later, Amy sported a pair of brown boots complete with velvety fringe and both she and Rory stared at the Doctor as he emerged from the TARDIS.

"What, is that?" Rory asked.

The Doctor fiddled with his new hat. "It's a Stetson. Stetson's are cool. Don't ever forget that Rory Williams." Rory slowly nodded his head.

"It's a cowboy hat." Amy noted and laughed at the dusty brown Stetson perched on top of the Doctor's head.

"Hey!" The Doctor protested, "It's cool. You're just jealous." He added and then started walking towards a ridge. Amy and Rory chuckled before walking off after him.

* * *

It was dusk a few hours later, with the sun starting to set. They had trudged up the hill and trudged back down again. The Doctor paused, leaned to the left and then spun around to Amy and Rory who stalled in their steps.

"What now?" Amy asked, she was tired and hungry and just a little bored of seeing the same sand, the same ridge and the same colour everywhere.

"Can you hear that?" The Doctor asked quietly. They all held their breath, listening carefully for something other than cicadas chirping quietly or the rustle of dry, dead leaves on the red sand.

"What?" Rory whispered back.

"That, humming noise?" The Doctor asked, his face screwed up in concentration. Amy and Rory shook their heads.

"No?" The Doctor shook his too, "Maybe I was just imagining it. Sounded like a teleport device." He shrugged and straightened up.

Suddenly, there was a high pitched clanging noise, and the Doctor's Stetson flew off his head. He spun around, mouth open and eyes wide. Amy and Rory looked up and saw someone they really didn't expect to see.

"Sweetie. I think that's a step up from the fez, but it still had to go." River Song smiled at them, before slotting her pistol back into its holder.

The Doctor frowned at the gun and then at her. "You, stay away from my Stetson." He turned around and pointed at Amy, "You too Pond." He spun back to River, "You destroyed my fez, and you're not blasting, shooting or feeding this hat to some desert snake. Understood?"

"Yes Doctor." Amy said, while stepping forwards to wave at River who was walking down towards them. The Doctor bent down to pick up his hat and dusted it off before grinning at the blonde woman.

"So what are you doing here?" Rory asked.

River beamed widely, "Spoilers."

* * *

_Review please, and a happy new year to you all. :D (and it certainly will be with a new DW series!)_


	16. Hourglass Flipped Over

_Basically...this has been bugging me for a while now...and I had to write it the way I wanted it...hope you like it...and yes, I made up the explanation, there was absolutely nothing in cannon which support/opposes that bit. Mainly because River says that the Doctor was 'so young' and that she's never seen him back that far... might not fit in so nicely... but, assume that she hasn't met him further down his timeline yet... :D _

_River and the Doctor know each other...for the same amount of time so their timelines are actually in sync for once! :D _

_Like to add that this is completely and utterly AU and has no relation to what may or may not happen in the real Whoniverse...but if there's something similar in the future...remember, you saw it here first! :D_

* * *

Hourglass Flipped Over, AKA: Finally Ginger

"Doctor! What have you done?" River shouted from across the room as she flipped switches and worked to make sure that the airlock doors on the starship would not open and throw the passengers out into the inky black of space.

The Doctor looked at her, River Song. His companion, his most loved companion, and his mind provided images of their past together. His tenth regeneration was when he met her for the very first time, and didn't have a clue who she was or would be. He had been so reluctant to leave and so desperate not be alone anymore, willing to give everyone a chance, even the Daleks and the Master. So sad for losing everyone, and he had even lost her in the Great Library, he just didn't know it until later. He raced around, long brown coat flapping behind him, like a superhero, wanting to save everyone, not wanting to leave anyone behind. Swore by his rubber soled shoes. Found the little blue book and the spoilers inside, but he didn't read it, he could wait.

And his eleventh regeneration, he had been so happy to have changed, to gain something instead of losing again. Hadn't let go of the past, or forgotten it, but coming to terms and letting go. Got Amy and Rory and River. Bowties and braces with an old school tweed jacket and a floppy fringe, and occasionally a fez. A bit more of a spring in his step. Like to travel and so curious. Very good at spotting detail yet so blind to other things. River popped up throughout that regeneration, shooting his fez and Stetson, but he liked to have her around, and for some strange reason he still trusted her.

The Doctor turned to face her, she kept turning back in between typing, and she stared in panic at his chest where the bullet had gone through. He sighed as he continued to remember all those years with River. So long but not long enough. Now his story was ending, his song dying out, so softly. All that running, and liking apples. His drove his TARDIS a little more sensibly, without the handbrake on, except for the occasional one off, just to please her. He'd seen so much of the universe, saved so many and ran so far. All those countless planets, and he had always loved Earth, he blamed and thanked Susan for that. Ah, now his planet gone, all Time Lords gone, he had been the Last, the one and only left behind. Briefly he wondered what would wait for him afterwards. Would he ever meet all those who passed before him, probably everyone except Jack. Although, the Face of Boe. Still some puzzles remained unsolved...not for him, but for others, they remained, and all of them brilliant. And the one wish of his life, he had never been ginger, never.

The Doctor let out a half chuckle. "Are you alright?" He called to the young boy who stood behind him. The boy stared back with wide eyes, unblinking. The Doctor coughed and fell to his knees. The boy jerked forwards but he was pushed aside by River who ran from the other side of the room.

Tears streamed down River's face relentlessly as the Doctor winced. She pulled him up and wrapped her arms around him so that he leaned on her. Blood trickled out slowly from the bullet hole in his chest.

"I don't want you to go." River mumbled as she smoothed back his hair. It was almost as long as it had been when she saw his tenth regeneration, and a slightly lighter shade of brown than his eleventh. His eyes wheeled around the room before he looked back at her.

"River. River Song." He said quietly.

"What is it you idiot?" She asked reaching for his hand.

"Oi!" He protested.

"I don't mean it." She replied hastily, "Why did you have to save him? Why did you step in front and take the damn bullet?" River asked angrily.

"I've had my run. I'm tired and old River, so old. And look at him, he's brilliant!" The Doctor explained, smiling up at the young boy.

"You're not allowed to be tired. The universe needs you Doctor." River argued.

"The universe can cope without me meddling. I'm not that special." He coughed harshly.

"What about me then?" River asked quietly, "What am I supposed to do without you?"

"Ah, you'll do fine. You're amazing, you know that." He told her smiling.

River blinked back more tears and they slipped down her face, "I don't want to be, not without you." She told him, the words got stuck in her throat as the Doctor sucked in his last breath.

"Doctor." She whispered softly. "Doctor?" She repeated nervously. "Doctor!" She shook him slightly and then wiped away the tears in her eyes as they played with her vision, she had thought she saw a ripple of gold slide across his hand. Hallucinations were just cruel and she could feel her heart splintering into a million pieces.

* * *

_Oh, now that's new._ The Doctor thought as he closed his eyes and breathed out slowly. He didn't breath in again because for some strange reason he could feel his body tingling. His hearts were speeding up. He flicked his eyes open.

"River. Get back." He warned and she stared in shock for a second before gently laying his head on the floor and shuffling back, wrapping her arms around her legs for comfort.

"How? Is that even possible?" She breathed softly. His hands began to glow softly.

He turned to look at her, panicked. "River. If I don't. If I'm not the same when I've changed..." He paused as his hands glowed brighter. "If I don't act the same way, don't feel the same. Too different." He spoke hastily."I'm sorry. Goodbye River."

"No, you can't. You promised. Always." River shuffled backwards quickly but she desperately wanted to reach out to him. The Doctor coughed again and he glowed so bright that she had to turn away and shut her eyes.

Slowly the room dimmed and she opened them, blinking. She across and he was there, well, it was him, he had just regenerated. Gone was the smile she knew, the eyes were similar but not. This time they sparkled brighter than his twelfth regeneration. They were wide with shock, possibly more than her own. She stared at him for a few silent moments, and then a nervous giggle escaped her mouth.

"What?" He asked standing up. He anxiously patted himself down, checking if he had the normal number of limbs and appendages. "I've got two legs and arms, and a face. Eyes, mouth, nose, hair. Oooh, that's a bit shorter. And, I think I'm a bit taller." The new Doctor said cheerfully, as he bounced on the spot, buzzing with energy.

"Who are you?" The boy behind him asked and the Doctor rushed forwards to stand in front of him.

"Who'd you think?" He asked, leaning down to stare into the boys eyes.

The boy thought in silence for a minute. "You're him, aren't you? You're the Doctor." He replied with a confused tone.

The Doctor nodded happily. "You're right. And I was right. Brilliant you are." And he patted him on the shoulder before bounding back to River who sat, stunned on the floor. He leaned down and outstretched a hand to help her up, beaming.

"I'm still me. I'm still the same!" He babbled and gave a hug.

"Not completely." She mumbled into his jacket. "But, how? You told me Time Lords had twelve regenerations."

"Yeah, haven't got a clue!" He replied, still holding onto her, refusing to let her go. "Well, maybe I have a guess, actually I couple of guesses, but that's all they are, possibly...no, maybe..." He broke off tilted his head from side to side.

"Yes sweetie?" River asked.

"Maybe..." The Doctor told himself. "In the Time War, I destroyed the Eye of Harmony with the Moment. Gallifrey burned but perhaps, as the Eye was so intrinsically part of Gallifrey, keeping it in stasis and holding it there for billions of years...maybe the Council gave it other properties. I always did wonder why it was so definitely twelve regenerations, so precise when every one of us was different..." He paused and then began to speak quicker, "Gallifrey burned, when the Eye collapsed, everything burned. Which is why, now, I wonder if the Eye of Harmony had a bigger part to play in the whole regeneration process. Maybe, the Council used it to limit the number of regenerations, to keep the Time Lords from immortality, can you imagine, living forever...what a curse...Jack knows it more than anyone."

"Not a curse right now." River butted in. "You're alive. You're here. Not dead." She pointed out.

"I need a new shirt." The Doctor chuckled as he looked down at the hole and the blood which had stained his blue shirt.

"Yes sweetie." River chuckled, "And, while you're in the wardrobe, you might want to take a look in the mirror."

"Yeah, you're right." He said slowly, "Do I look alright?" He asked her anxiously.

"Still handsome as ever." She replied and he grinned. "Although." She added. His face dropped and he swallowed nervously.

"What?"

"You're going to like your hair." She chuckled again as she ran her fingers through it.

"Why?" He looked upwards but couldn't see anything.

"Trust me sweetie, you'll like the colour." River told him sincerely.

The Doctor froze. "The colour...I'm not...am I?" He breathed out, and glanced around the wrecked room for a reflective surface, but there wasn't one. "River? Am I ginger?" He asked her excitedly.

"Yes, you are. It's a rather nice shade actually." She told him.

"No..." He whispered in shock and then grabbed her hand and began to race to the TARDIS. "I'm finally ginger!"

* * *

_I couldn't resist! :D Review please, it makes my day and makes me want to write more... actually, I'm meant to be doing an essay now...not working very well now am I?_


	17. Wedding Bells Chime

_And now the Doctor's gotten hitched. There's the assumption that River is human, (I dunno, there's still the possibility that she's Time Lord, or maybe even just plain alien?) Now guys, this is was sickly sweet for me to write, I'm no good at romance, as you may very well see, but, I got an idea so I thought I'd give it a shot._ :D

_I'd like to thank all reviewers, alerters, favouriters and readers who keep on reading! It amazes me. ^-^ _

_Prompt and prompter: Allebasii who answered my prompt request absolutely yonks ago with '...what about when they get married?' and also added 'because everyone wants it to be true, and she so IS his wife' :D Hope you enjoy._

_Somewhere in the far future along the Timelines of a (24th?) Doctor and a River who's a Professor :D_

* * *

Wedding Bells Chime 

_-I've been a puppet, a papa, a pirate, a poet. A pawn and a king.- Michael Bublé _

The church was an old church, or at least styled so that it mirrored an olden church and was complete with a high ceiling and grey stone arches. And it was empty save for two people. A man dressed up in a morning suit, complete with bowtie, shiny black boots and a neatly, for once, tucked in shirt. He shuffled nervously on the spot as the vicar who stood next to him watched.

"Any guests?" The vicar asked calmly and the Doctor shook his head before looking down at his shoes and then straightened out his bowtie yet again.

"Do you think she's coming? Or do you think she's run off in the TARDIS?" The Doctor asked nervously, before running his hands through his hair. The vicar merely smiled encouragingly, slightly confused at what a TARDIS was.

Then the large wooden doors on the other side of the room opened slowly. And River walked down the aisle towards him. She was wearing a simple white dress with intricate detail in Kaane silver thread which shimmered as she walked. She looked amazing, beautiful, stunning, dazzling. His mind continued to reel off descriptions as he stared at her and she stared back. The dress suited her perfectly as it trailed slightly behind her. In her hands she held a bouquet of Parisenne flowers, well renowned across three galaxies not only because they had no scent but because they were described as the most beautiful flowers in the universe. A little part of his mind absently wondered where she got them from because they had become extinct long before the 32nd Century.

The Doctor watched her walk towards him in amazement, just wondering at the fact that he was getting married to River Song. Because he honestly wouldn't have guessed, not in a billion, billion years from the first time he ever saw in, in the Great Library. He did know that she was someone important, someone who he trusted, trusted enough to give his sonic screwdriver to, trusted enough to tell his name to, his real name. But he never would have guessed, predicted or even bet that someday, somewhen he would be waiting at the end of the aisle for River Song.

River reached the end of the aisle and stopped in front of the Doctor, smiling the whole time. He couldn't complain, he knew he had a silly wide grin slapped over his face too.

The vicar began, "Do you, Doctor, take River Song to be your wife?"

The Doctor nodded before remembering he had to speak, "Yes, I do."

"And do you River Song, take, the Doctor, to be your husband?"

"I do." River replied, smiling even wider at him. The vicar then motioned for them to exchange the rings and River slipped his onto his finger. The Doctor beamed at her and then nodded when the vicar instructed him to do the same. He reached into his pocket and then frowned minutely as River stared at him. Then he reached into his other pocket before patting his side pockets and pulling out a little gold ring with a clear diamond embedded in the centre.

"Wrong pocket." He muttered his apology and she grinned back.

"I now pronounce you husband and wife. My congratulations to the happy couple." The vicar said happily and the Doctor and River continued to stare into each other's eyes, one pair deep brown and the other a bright blue.

"You may now kiss the bride, Doctor." The vicar said.

The Doctor leaned in closer to River's face as she smiled at him. Suddenly, he yelped before pulling out his battered old brown wallet from his inside pocket which had become hot as someone had sent a message. "Oooh. That's not good." He muttered, looking up to River and then back down at the physic paper.

"Important?" River asked curiously.

The Doctor shook his head quickly. "No, no, nothing important." He replied as he glanced back down at the paper one more time before moving to put it back in his pocket. But River was too quick; she snatched it, leaving him with empty fingers. The vicar looked slightly amused as he watched the happy couple.

River scanned the piece of paper and her eyes grew wide. "Really? No, this isn't important at all." She told the Doctor sarcastically.

"Well, slightly." He agreed, tilting his head from side to side considering.

River read the message out loud to prove how important it was. "_Come quick Doctor. Please, we need your help Time Lord. They are coming; they are coming so fast, so soon. Only you can save us."_

The Doctor sucked in a deep breath after a moment's pause, "But. Not as important as being here."

River beamed back at him and then looked back to the message and the smile twisted at the corner of her mouth. The vicar coughed quietly to get their attention but the happy couple ignored him. "Let's go." River decided and the Doctor blinked twice.

"What?"

She gathered up the length of her dress in her left hand and nodded her head enthusiastically as she waved the wallet at him. He grinned back at her as he replaced it in his inside pocket. The vicar coughed again, this time a little louder and they noticed.

"Oh!" The Doctor realised and they straightened up and he looked at the vicar expectantly.

"You may now kiss the bride." The vicar repeated. And so the happy couple kissed. Then they grabbed hold of each other's hands and ran back down the aisle and out of the doors of the church. They continued running down the path to a little blue box parked in the corner of the church grounds. They skidded to a stop at the freshly painted bright blue doors as the Doctor pulled out his key to open the TARDIS.

"Wait." He said after he turned the key and he quickly bent down to scoop River up in his arms as she laughed in utter amusement. Then he pushed open the door with his foot. He ran up the ramp and around the console to the plump red armchair, which was from the New York 1890 desktop which had somehow malfunctioned and now refused to delete the chair. He sat River down as she continued to laugh, her cheeks a paler version of the chair.

"Right then, off we go!" The Doctor said as he ran madly around the console. Lights flashed in time to switches being flicked. He speedily wound up a crank which controlled something wobbly and spun the screen around while inputting the correct coordinates, temporal and spatial. "Ready?" He asked with his hand poised on the lever.

"Always." River replied as she jumped off her seat to put a hand on the lever too. They pulled it down which set off the engines and the time rotor spun around and around in the centre of the main console, sending the TARDIS whizzing through the time-space vortex to the source of the psychic message.

As the TARDIS lurched from side to side, both the Doctor aand River looked around the room as an unexpected noise was heard. A rattling, clanging sound and they looked up to find three empty tin cans, highly polished and gleaming under the time rotor's blue lights, shaking and knocking into each other. They both smiled again as they clung onto the rail by the console. And as the little blue box disappeared from the church grounds the bells at the top of the church tower rang out, chiming loudly, to say that another happy couple had just married.


	18. French Revisionists

_Hello, so this is an extra long one. Consider it like a mini-episode. :D _

_Thank you for all the reviews, it's really cool that you like this. :D _

_Prompter: Allebasii. Prompt: Chihuahua._

_Prompter: AnatheAwesome Prompt: Hundred Years War._

_Hope you two like it :D _

_And I have to admit, the 'French revisionsists' idea is not completely mine. It is mentioned in the Thursday Next series by Jasper Fforde as, well...just French Revisionists. I have elaborated :D _

_Doctor: 11  
River: Knows him longer! _

* * *

French Revisionists

Tea and Martini ambled along the grassy path which ran under the pale purple trees in Purple Park. It was the autumn season and the leaves had mostly fallen off the trees and scattered themselves over the grass before curling up and drying out to a rich, deep purple, contrasting with the bark of the tree themselves.

"Hey Coffee! Who's a good boy? You want to run for a bit?" Tea bent down to unclasp the lead from the little black Chihuahua who barked. She tickled him under the chin, the only spot where he was white. Her little sister laughed at her.

"Seriously, you talk to Coffee? You know he can't answer." She pointed out before her sister attempted to take a swipe at her navy blue spines. They carried on walking towards a cluster of trees where Coffee was amusing himself by running around in the piles of fallen leaves. He was a genetically resequenced old Earth dog. Their parent had loved the planet after visiting it on a honeymoon in the year 32837 and had decided to add a little Earth flavor to their lives after returning back to their home planet. This included naming their two children and their dog after popular Earth names.

As they walked closer to where the little dog was running around they were surprised to see him turn and run straight back towards them, barking furiously.

"What is it boy? What, was there a little deco? You know you shouldn't chase them. Did it scratch you?" Tea fussed over the dog.

"Oh, stop it Tea. You want to play fetch?" Martini asked and Coffee was distracted by the small yellow ball in her hand. "Go get the ball!" She said as she threw the ball back over to the cluster of trees. Coffee paused for a minute before barking and chasing after it.

A few moments later, the dog raced back out of the piles of leaves with the ball in his mouth, but Tea and Martini were surprised to see a small blue robot dog follow him out.

"You found a friend?" Martini asked as she bent down to pick up the ball that her dog had dumped at her feet. The blue dog rolled out from the trees and past them, towards a fairly large, slightly darker purple tree which stood alone behind them.

"Never seen one of those before." Tea commented as the blue dog turned. It had 'K-9' written on the side in white letters. "K-9? Oh, I get it, canine. Oh that's funny." She said and her sister rolled her eyes.

They watched as the robot dog extended its red nose on a thin piece of metal and waved it up and down. Then; "Master, I have found the distortion." emanated from its speakers.

A human looking man wearing an odd jacket, green bowtie and floppy dark hair ran past Tea, Martini and Coffee and over to the dog. "Good doggy." He said, patting the dog on its head and scratched its ears affectionately."River, over here!" He called out and a woman with blonde curly hair walked over.

"Where is it?" River asked, glancing at the two Socci and their dog who were watching them, before looking at the tree.

"Seven feet above the ground Mistress." K-9 replied.

"Oh." She said and they both looked up into the bare branches of the tree. Tea and Martini looked up too, and were shocked to see, something, in one of the thicker branches. It flickered like a bad signal on one of the old style televisions, it was there, a dark shadow with monstrous features, and then it wasn't. It suddenly flickered back and screeched loudly and the siblings stumbled back in fright.

"What. Is that?" Martini asked.

"A Reaper." The young man replied. "Oh, hello." He turned around to wave at them and then frowned. "Maybe you should leave the area." He commented.

"Says who?" Martini asked before glancing up at the Reaper which seemed like it was perched on the tree.

The man fumbled in his pockets for a minute and then pulled out a battered old brown wallet and flicked it open. "I'm the," He pulled it back to read what the card said, "Minister in charge of trees?" Then he nodded seriously. "Minister in charge of trees and I declare this a no go zone for civilians." He threw them a pointed look and Tea bent down to attach the lead to Coffee's collar.

"Come on boy." Tea called and the little dog bounded by her feet. Tea then tugged on Martini's arm and they left the park to go home.

The Doctor and River stared up at the Reaper which sat patiently in the pale purple tree. "That's odd." River commented. "Why is it not...attacking?"

The Doctor thought for a moment before answering. "Maybe, it can't come through properly. It looks like its waiting. But waiting for what?" He paused again. "Unless...the distortion is still in flux." He quickly pulled out his sonic screwdriver and pointed it up into the air. It buzzed and whirred as it collected data and analyzed it.

River peered over to see what it said. "That's...different." She said, noting the design.

"How is it?" He asked her. "Oh, yes. I've got red settings now." He grinned happily.

"Since when did you need red settings?" She chuckled.

"Since..." He paused again, mid sentence and then shook his head impatiently. "Doesn't matter, not happened yet. He waved his hand.

The sonic screwdriver bleeped twice as it finished analyzing the data. "Yep, the distortion is in flux." The Doctor stated and exhaled loudly. "That Reaper, potentially, could just disappear if you wait long enough or..."

"Or what?" River asked, looking up nervously at the creature in the tree which continued to flicker in and out of reality.

"Or, the distortion could stabilize and let the Reaper through, it'd then do what it does, which is sterilize the wound in time." The Doctor explained as he spun around on the spot. "All this, the future of the entire Socci planet, perhaps even the whole galaxy would be wiped out of the timelines."

"Because of one Reaper?" River quizzed as she stared at it.

"Well, that one is probably the first in a long line. A long long line." He answered before tugging on her arm to get her attention. "Come on River. Let's go." He waggled the sonic screwdriver in front of her face and she batted his hand away.

"Where?"

"TARDIS. We can track the distortion, turn up and stop the Reaper coming through." He beamed before running off to the big blue Police Box which was parked just behind another, much larger tree.

River caught up with him and he held the door open for her. "Just once." She told him, "Just once I would like a trip without running, or chasing Slitheen, or tracking temporal distortions through space."

"I'm sure." He nodded his head understandingly as she passed through the doorway. Then he whistled loudly. "Hmm, could beat Donna with a whistle like that." He mused quietly. "K-9! Come on, we're leaving." He called to the robot dog who was rolling through the piles of purple leaves to get to the TARDIS. K-9 rolled into the TARDIS and the Doctor bent down, "Good boy!" he said as he scratched behind the dog's metal ears which waggled up and down.

"Master is correct." K-9 replied.

"Oi! Cheeky." The Doctor told him as he walked to the console and beat River to the handbrake. As he slotted the sonic screwdriver into its holder where it could transfer the data to the TARDIS he realised something. "River, did you see their dog, the one who belonged to the people standing behind us?"

"Yes, what about it?" She asked as she leaned over to pull the screen to her.

"It looked a lot like a genetically resequenced Chihuahua." He replied as he tapped in the coordinates onto the screen.

"An old Earth dog. I think they were popular before extinction." She answered, unsure what the Time Lord was talking about.

"Thing is...they shouldn't have that kind of technology. Not for another 49 and half years." He replied seriously as the TARDIS began to hum and whirr. The time rotor whizzed up and down and the engines dematerialsed the ship from the Purple Park.

River ventured a guess."Maybe it's a side effect of the distortion?"

The Doctor paused as he reached for a fairly large crank. "You're brilliant, you know that!" River smiled in amusement before grabbing onto the screen as the TARDIS juddered and spun through the Time Vortex. "Handbrake!" He shouted as he landed on the sofa.

"Yes. You've got it on!" River shouted back, annoyed at the fact that the TARDIS' engines where making a loud thrumming sound as the gears couldn't move smoothly.

"No, no, no. K-9! Handbrake!" He shouted again as the little robot dog slid up the ramp of the TARDIS before his nose glowed red and he stopped before hitting the console.

"Handbrake on Master." The robot dog replied.

* * *

A little while later the TARDIS landed with a soft thump. The Doctor released his grip on the rail, River let go off the screen and K-9 turned off his handbrake.

"We have arrived." He stated. "But where are we?" He asked and River reached to twist the screen to face them. "Now...that is interesting." He commented grinning and River looked at him and smiled back in amusement.

"I've always wanted to visit Old Earth." She told him as they collected their coats from the floor because they had slid of the rail as the TARDIS jerked from side to side as she travelled.

"This is back, far back. Very old." The Doctor commented as he dusted down his coat with a frown. "Actually, I tend not to come back to these times. A lot of witch hunting and dislike of people who wear bowties. Or ties in general. They tried to burn my TARDIS once." He said morosely. "But, seeing as there is a Reaper just waiting to get instated into the timeline thousands of years in the future, I guess we have to go out." He decided as he followed her out of the blue doors.

* * *

"This is...nice." She commented at the green fields surrounding them and a large, clear blue, winding river cutting through the pale green landscape.

"That. Is the River Seine." The Doctor pointed out and he took a deep breath in, sniffing the air loudly. "It's the twenty sixth of August. The year is thirteen forty five." He frowned. "Nothing major happens this year."

River raised an eyebrow, "Are you sure?"

He paused and tilted his head in deep thought. "Nope, nothing that I remember." He told her.

"Well there must be something." She replied and rummaged in his pocket to fish out his sonic screwdriver.

"Hey!" He protested. "You could ask."

"Sweetie, I'm only borrowing." She replied as she buzzed it and walked in a circle to see if it could pick up any distortions or unusual energy.

The Doctor stood and watched her. Then he shivered. "Now that's interesting."

"What is?" River said as she looked at the data the screwdriver picked up. There was nothing, no distortions, however there were ridiculous amounts of Artron energy but she had put it down to the fact that the TARDIS and they were at the epicentre of the scan.

"Let's go find out." He said as he began walking off along the side of the river bank.

They walked for around half an hour before spotting some people in the distance. It was a small group clustered together in some sort of camp. The Doctor waved and smiled a friendly smile at them. The group was made of up three soldiers and two immediately grabbed their swords while one reached for his bow and arrow.

"Hello." The Doctor called.

"They're not French." One of the men with a mop of curly black hair said and they lowered their weapons slightly. "Who are you? What are you doing here?" He asked gruffly.

"Hi, I'm the Doctor and this is River." The Doctor introduced and his eyes scanned the mini campsite which was in the process of being packed up. They narrowed slightly but his broad smile didn't waver as he leaned forwards to shake the soldier's hand. "Nice to meet you."

"I am Thomas," The man with the curly hair replied, "And this is Jasper," He pointed to a man with ginger hair, "and Collin." he waved his hand at the tall man with the bow and arrow. The Doctor beamed at them all.

"What are you doing here? Philip's soldiers will be marching soon." Collin said.

"We... were." He paused to think. "We were on our way to Poissy. But got a bit lost, everything here is the same. Field, field and more fields. Lots and lots of greenery. But, I think I know what went wrong now." The Doctor replied nodding his head as he walked over to one of the saddle packs which lay next to the remains of a fire and picked up a piece of paper which sat on it. He ripped the seal off, opened it before nodding again.

"What's this then?" The Doctor asked and the two soldiers with swords raised them at him. "Oh, don't be silly now." He pulled out his sonic with his free hand and pointed it at the largest leather bag in the pile. "Shim-mer!" He sing songed.

And the Shimmer technology was fried by the sonic screwdriver, the soldiers flickered, from soldiers to men in black clothing. The swords faded out of existence but they reached for their guns.

"Now, now boys." River said as she walked over to the Doctor as took the parchment from his hand. She read the words. "I still don't get it." She said as she looked up to them. "It just says where the English would be."

"And advises on where to put the archers." The Doctor noted.

"Oh, very clever." Thomas said.

"Yes, I think I am." The Doctor said. "Because I've worked it out. You, send word to the French troops on where the English are going to go, they move into place and using the little top tip on where to place their archers they win this battle."

"So you're time travellers too?" Jasper asked and River nodded.

"Sorta." The Doctor replied.

"And what does this matter to you. This battle." Colin asked curiously.

"Because," The Doctor said, turning around to pace in front of them, "this battle is a major turning point. It is a great big victory for the English, which then leads onto them taking Calais and eventually winning the Hundred Years War." He paused. "But you already know that, that's why you're here."

River continued his line of thought as he began to rummage through their bags. "But, what you don't know is the consequences of changing this moment in time. What happens to the future." She smirked at them.

"All our projections have-" Thomas began defiantly.

"Your projections are wrong. You don't know what this is going to do." The Doctor butted in, pulling out a mini computer tablet from the bag and began to press buttons, reviewing all the projection before tossing it back into the bag. "You, are wrong. You haven't factored in the Reapers."

Colin laughed, "There's no such thing as Reapers." He said, letting out a little chuckle.

"Mmm, they're just fairytales." Thomas agreed.

River stared at them. "You are so, stupid." And the Doctor nodded his head in agreement. "The Reapers are not fairytale creatures. They are real and right now, because of your stupidity, they are threatening the existence of the future. A whole planet, possibly a galaxy." She told them seriously.

The three Revisionists glanced nervously at each other, wondering if what these two other time travellers were saying and if it was the truth, then they were going to be in big trouble. "Reapers are real?" Colin gulped.

"More than real." The Doctor said.

"How do we know you're telling the truth?" Jasper asked.

"Because I'm the Doctor." He replied. This statement was met by laughter. "What, you don't believe me?" He asked them.

"The Doctor's a fairytale too. A myth. A legend with no truth." Thomas replied condescendingly.

River shook her head. "He's the Doctor. Standing right in front of you."

"I'm a Time Lord." The Doctor said, taking a step forward with every sentence until he was standing so close to the apparent leader of the Revisionists, there was a gap of inches between their noses. "The Last of the Time Lords. I'm over a millennia old. I've seen things you couldn't even imagine. I've fought monsters with nothing but a sonic screwdriver and a piece of string. I was there at the start of Time itself and I was there at the end of the universe a hundred trillion years into the future. I am the Oncoming Storm."

He paused and looked Colin in his eyes. "Look at me. Do I look like a fairytale?"

Colin replied shakily as he stared into the Doctor's ancient eyes. "No...not a fairytale. Very real." The other two nodded their heads.

"Right then. So, with the power invested in me by my beautiful sonic." The Doctor said, grinning at River as he raised the bit of parchment which could alter the course of time itself and lead to the destruction of a planet in the far future. River grinned back and they all watched as the Doctor pressed a button. The sonic whirred softly and the paper caught on fire. They watched as it curled and burned in orange flames until it had completely disintegrated into ashes on the grass.

"Now, I've got one thing to say to you lot." The Doctor began.

"Shoo." River completed. Thomas nodded and motioned for them to pack up; they began stuffing their equipment into their bags and hurrying to remove any traces of them being there.

"You took the words right out of my mouth Doctor Song." The Doctor said teasingly.

The Revisionists paused and Jasper spoke slowly. "River Song...Doctor River Song?" He asked.

The Doctor turned to face him, "Yes, that's her name. And I'm the Doctor. Remember, I'm real." He said slowly, as though he was speaking to a very small child.

"It's her." Colin said, staring at River. Then they picked up the speed of stuffing their belongings into their bags, occasionally throwing a worried look at each other and a clearly terrified one at River.

"Why are you so scared of her?" The Doctor asked, looking at River to see if he could see what they were so scared of.

"Nothing. No reason. We'll leave now. We won't come back. I swear." Jasper said quickly as they finished packing and stood in a small circle. "Never again. I promise."

Colin stuck out his arm and they all grasped on. With one final, very nervous glance at River, Colin rolled up his sleeve and pressed the button on his Vortex Manipulator, teleporting the three Revisionists back home.

"Well, that was odd." The Doctor commented at the empty space before them. River hummed in reply. "Any idea why they were so terrified of you?"

"Not a clue." River replied.

"Odd." The Doctor repeated. Then he shrugged his shoulders. "Back to the TARDIS." He announced and they walked back through the green fields to the little blue box.

* * *

After a quick trip back to the Purple Park, just to see if it was still fine and not ravaged by any Reapers, which it wasn't, the Doctor and River sat in the large red sofa in the console room flicking through a map of the universe deciding where to go.

"So, are you sure that you don't know why those Revisionists were scared of you?" The Doctor wondered.

"Sweetie, I already told you. I don't know. I probably meet them in the future and steal their sweeties." She replied and the Doctor chuckled.

"It's not nice to steal sweeties." He replied.

"Says the man who stuffs the red jelly babies into his mouth because he doesn't want to share." River retorted, elbowing him in his side.

"Not my fault their my favourite." He told her beaming happily. "Although, there is a lovely old sweet shop right, on that planet there." He pointed to a little blue planet in the Breom system.

"Is that the next stop?" River asked.

"Yes. And if I time it right, we can see the Aellow Comet pass by. A total once in a lifetime thing. Beautiful."

"You sound like you've already seen it." River told him suspiciously.

"No." He shook his head, "I was going to, but then got distracted. Code Mauve heading straight for Earth."

River stood up. "Come on then. Sweets and a light show. Sounds like a nice date Sweetie."

The Doctor smiled cheekily at her while he wondered. "Yes, it does."

* * *

_Thank you for the prompts. I will work on them and they'll be up in time. _

_I watched Time of Angels the other day... Wow, that's a lot of stuff to write about as well. :D _


	19. Stargazers AU

_So, thanks for the reviews :D In the middle of exams, but since there's one more down and now three to go...this was a little mini treat for me to write. _

_Some of you were wondering why those Revisionists were so terrified of River, how they were more scared of her than the Oncoming Storm...I wanted to link it into Stormcage and how she got put in there...remember, fanfiction...nothing to do with what really happens. Oh, imagine, a fly on the wall in the 'script writing room'. Now that'd be a brilliant present! Now, I have an idea, but it's still in the working. You'll get the bits around this chapter, ie, before and after, sometime later on. For now, I hope you like! _

_This chapter: 11th Doctor and River from the future! _

* * *

Stargazers

...She had it all and lost it,  
Now he is forever in space,  
He circles Hailey's comet, lights up the sky like a flame  
Now she's a star collector,  
She knows the signs and she knows what they mean.  
Twinkle twinkle, little dream  
Stargazer, heartbreaker...

-Paloma Faith, Stargazer-

Doctor

Father Octavian had said, 'She killed a man', just before they had teleported off the surface. River looked straight at the Doctor and told him, after he asked who _he_ was, 'Best man I ever knew.'

Stormcage was for criminals who were extremely dangerous. It was a notorious prison. And the norm was that once you were locked up you never left. Ever. Yet River had been let out and was helping Father Octavian on a mission. Helping, a criminal from Stormcage. It sent the Doctor's mind wheeling.

There was suspicion. After all, everything she had said in the library was from her future, she was a Professor then. But at that moment in time, at the crash of the Byzantium she was Dr Song. A convicted criminal, for murder. And the Doctor couldn't help but wonder if it was him. If he was the best man that she had ever known.

And then he looked back at her and he remembered how she acted in the library, how she had never seen him so far back, so young. How she had handcuffed him and taken his place. She had effectively died for what seemed his future. And she didn't know him at all. Strangers to each other. Dr River Song was in Stormcage, yet how did she end up in there?

River

_"Best man I ever knew."_

I wasn't lying, not one bit. He was the best man I ever knew. _He _just wasn't him at the time. Oh, I could have left it, let _him _be. Let _him _escape. Let _him _go free. But inside, he was there. His real self. And I could see it, just behind those stony eyes. They were so cold.

I had seen him younger and older. But never like that. Never with those icy eyes. Oh, they'd be untrusting, deadly serious, twinkling mischievously, wide with panic as we ran from danger. With those brilliant eyes he could see everything and I stood opposite him with the gun in my hand and he simply stared back. Uncaring. But it wasn't him. The best man I ever knew. And that was it.

Finger to the trigger, bullet to the heart. Shocked face. Tears down mine. I couldn't not stop him. _He_ had to be stopped. Looking backwards to see the Doctor's face, a mirror reflection of _his_. _He_ crumpled to the ground while the Doctor stepped forwards and plucked the gun out of my hands and threw it to the ground. Never did like violence. He didn't look at me, not even a glance.

"I don't..." The Doctor broke off as he stared at the curled up figure on the floor. I continued to stare too. The alarms still rang and the sound of clumping boots on the staircase grew louder and louder.

"The Judoon." The Doctor muttered and then I managed to catch him glance at me as his eyes flicked to the door. They were...different. He looked at me...differently. He pointed his sonic screwdriver at the door and I heard the lock thunk into place.

"Doctor?" I whispered. The Doctor ignored me and continued to stare at him. His eyes were closed, and the Doctor refused to look at me again. I couldn't bear it, I felt like stone. Unmoving, unfeeling. I could see what he could, what I had done. But he had to understand, _he _had to be stopped at any cost. The Doctor was simply an innocent. A bystander. Nothing to do with the whole screwed up mess. The best man I had ever known in my entire life. And then again...it was all him, completely and utterly him.


	20. A Legend

_Haven't a clue where this came from. Another exam down! I am sooooo very happy, and once again...tah-dah! :D _

_...Bacsically...because with these two, they couldn't have helped not to leave a story behind. _

_Thanks to those who have reviewed, it's nice to hear from you! :D _

* * *

A Legend

"Tell me the story." The little boy said adamantly, with a pouty face which would have worked on anyone except her.

His mother frowned. "No." She tucked in the side of his duvet to that it went up to his chin. "It's time to go to sleep. You won't be able to stay awake at school tomorrow."

"But," The boy protested. "If you tell me the story, then I'll go to sleep." He said earnestly.

His mother sighed. "You promise?" She asked, raising her eyebrows.

"Yes." He nodded his head. "I promise."

"Ok." She replied, sitting down on the side of his bed. She took a deep breath and began the well told tale.

* * *

"There is a legend. Some say as old as time itself. It stretches from the Future, back to the Past and weaves itself through the Present.

Of a man. The Wanderer. The Lonely God. The Oncoming Storm. The Destroyer of Worlds. The Saviour of Oodkind. Defender of the Earth. He has many names, in many languages. The Doctor. The Last of the Time Lords. He travels the universe in a little blue box with unimaginable power. Dancing through the stars.

And of a woman. His companion. The Raging Maelstrom. The Angel with no Mercy. With golden hair and eyes which have seen Time, they pierce your soul.

They were the foundations and with their aid new civilisations rose up from the ground. Cities flourished and prospered. People were freed.

Under their might, tyrants were crushed, plots were uncovered and foiled. Their anger burned planets. They turned and ran from crumbling empires. Armies faltered in stride and laid down their weapons on the ground, unwilling to oppose the two travellers of Time.

If people ever look to the skies and strain their eyes, searching for a miracle. For someone to save them from nightmares and monsters. They know to search for the little blue box that appears in their time of need and the two who will step out from the doors, running to rescue them.

And then the man and the woman walk back into the small blue box and journey on. Two became one after eons spent together. Twisting through time and space and continuing their story, yet never in the correct order. For at the very start of his story, came the end of hers."

* * *

By the time the mother had finished the story, her son was fast asleep. She smiled and smoothed down the top of the duvet before standing up. She walked over to the window and pulled the curtains closed. As she did, she looked out, up to the night sky, the twinkling stars and the large luminous moon.

She stood for a while, wondering about that man in his little blue box. The TARDIS. And the woman with her defiance for fezzes. She tucked her hair behind her ear as she walked out of the room. She slowly closing the door and remembered, reminiscing about how she had run, just once with them.

And inside the bedroom, the little boy tucked up in bed, dreamed about the Time Lord, of River Song, of a little blue box which was bigger on the inside and the adventures they had.

* * *

_Leave a review please, I love to hear what you think :D _


	21. Weeping Angels and A Heart of Stone

_Thank you for all the reviews so far...this is my most popular story! _

_To Stormcloud22: Thank you for your review. :D _

_Mainly because I just watched the episodes with River, 11 and the weeping angels.  
Because I thought that River had a look on her face when Amy was counting down that basically said 'Oh no, it's the countdown'...  
...That the 'Don't you dare' in the library with 10 had a bit more history...  
...Which also goes with the fact when River said to Amy, 'they want to make him angry'..._

_And the angels...they are so scary... way worse than the Cybermen and maybe even the Daleks in my opinion! Enjoy. :D_

_This can be... the 15th Doctor...or the 16th...(they're just getting into their relationship) and River who is just starting out as a companion but has known him for a little while :D _

* * *

Weeping Angels and A Heart of Stone

"Let her go." The Doctor ordered.

"Eight." River whispered.

"Now." He added utterly seriously as he flicked his gaze back to her from the camera wedged up in the corner of the room on the ceiling.

"The angels will watch you now Doctor." The calm voice of the attendant sounded over the PA system. The actual attendant was dead; his vocal chords stripped and recycled by the angels so that they could communicate with the Doctor. So that they could taunt him

"Oh yeah, watch me do what?" The Doctor spun on the spot, looking for any angels who might try and sneak up on him. But the door was locked and the room was windowless. No angels in sight, and they were watching him through the camera.

"Watch your heart turn to stone Doctor. Then they will kill you." The attendant angel informed.

"Oh." The Doctor replied while exhaling loudly. "So I'm entertainment?"

"That is correct Doctor."

"Seven." River said with her eyes wide and unblinking.

"Right." The Doctor said as he clamped his hand over River's eyes, closing them. "River, you keep your eyes closed. It's a countdown. There's an angel in your mind. I'm so sorry, but you have to keep your eyes closed. Do not open them." He instructed and she nodded.

"Ok." She mumbled weakly.

"And you." The Doctor spun around on the spot, calling loudly once more. He pulled out his sonic and pointed it at the camera, waving with one hand and pressed the button, sending a very high voltage charge down the wire and frying the whole system. _Now, if the angels wanted to watch him, they'd have to do it with their own eyes. _

"You are very special." He called out to the angels. "The weeping angels, deadly assassins who kill you in the present and the future. Quite an accomplishment that. You are so very special. Do you what to know why? Why you're so special?" He shouted angrily.

There was a pause and the silence was deafening. "Why are the angels so special Doctor?" They asked.

"Because I will only ask you once. Let River go and leave now or I'll give you something to weep about." He said plainly as he helped her sit down on the floor, leaning her against the wall. He squeezed her hand one last time before letting go and moving to the microphone.

He stood at the desk and continued to fiddle with his sonic as he waited for the angels to answer. They took their time and just as he opened his mouth to repeat his demand, the angel attendant spoke.

"The angles have decided to decline your offer Doctor."

"Well, now that's their problem. A big, fat problem." He paused as he heard a loud crunching sound. It was coming from the door which shuddered on its hinges. The angels were breaking it down and forcing their way in.

"The angels believe that you are the one with the problem Doctor." The attendant angel informed pleasantly.

"River, I'm going to need you to move." The Doctor said quickly as he helped her to her feet.

"What's that noise?" River asked as the angels continued to attack the door.

"Errrrm, noisy neighbours?" He ventured and she scoffed, "No, it's the angels breaking down the door." He told her.

"Oh."

"Exactly." He said, nodding his head even though she couldn't see.

"Doctor, what's going to happen?" She asked as she gripped onto his hands.

"Oh no you don't River Song. You don't worry at all. Not even a little bit. Just keep your eyes shut and I'll fix it." He told her with a small smile but she could hear the anxiety in his voice. However, thankfully for him she said nothing.

"Right then, weeping angels." He muttered as he paced quickly. "Quantum locked angel assassins. Who turn to stone when you look at them. Perfect defence, they can't move when you look at them. And they like to kill you. Deadly deadly angels. Nasty deadly angels with no sense of humour." He rambled as he thought.

"Sweetie..." River called. "Just leave now. Don't worry about me sweetie." River said slowly and the Doctor turned around to face her. The angels continued to smash the door down, loud crashes coupled with dents in the thick steel door.

"Don't be stupid." He deadpanned.

"Sweetie. You can't be killed by the angels. I won't let you be." She told him as she reached out her hands to touch his arm.

"Just keep your eyes shut River. Nothing else to do. Including worrying about me." The Doctor replied.

"Sweetie-" She began and was promptly cut off.

"Don't you dare River Song." And he reached for her outstretched and hand and took hold of it. She walked towards him, still keeping to his instructions with her eyes closed. "Right, now River. Ooooh, alliteration, lovely. You stand here." And he edged her backwards so that she was standing in front of the TARDIS. "Still got your eyes tightly shut?"

"Yes."

"Now open them." He told her.

"But-"

He interrupted again. "River, do you trust me?" And he put both hands lightly on her shoulders.

"Always." She replied with a smile.

"Marvellous! Now, keep them shut until I tell you." River nodded her head and the Doctor pulled out a silver ornate hand mirror and wrapped her hands around the handle.

"Ok." He muttered as he positioned it in front of her face. "It's a mirror. And now you can open and close your eyes to your heart's content." He glanced back to the door which now sported a huge ridge down the middle where the angles unrelentingly pounded it. River slowly opened her eyes and stared at herself in the mirror.

"What will this do?" She asked as she blinked. The angel inside her mind paused with no light and then when she opened her eyes, she was effectively looking at it, so the defence mechanism kicked in and the countdown was halted.

"Hopefully...if I'm right and having a clever lucky day today...the angel will become trapped inside the mirror." He said as he walked to the door inspected it. He jerked back as the top right hand corner was smashed in and an angel's arm with its sharp stone talons curled through the gap.

"I can feel it. It's going..." River said in surprise. "Doctor, it's gone. It's not in my eyes anymore!" She let out a little laugh.

"And hello." He plucked the hand mirror from her hands and looked at the stone angel which was behind the glass, or inside the glass. Trapped inside. "You're looking very lively today I must admit." He told it.

The angel in the mirror did not look like it was in camouflage, one of the weeping angles which hid in cemeteries with their hands clasped on their faces, fitting in with mourners. No, this one did not have to even attempt to hide its true nature. With its hands extended and its sharp claws reaching out, hoping to break free from its prison with a twisted snarl frozen on its face it was a true weeping angel. And the Doctor knew that it would regret the day it ever climbed inside River's eyes and into her soul.

He raised the mirror up high as the door buckled for the last time and he blinked. The angels quickly spread themselves in a loose semicircle in front of him, River and the TARDIS.

"Look everywhere but not the eyes." He told River quickly and she focused on the lower half of the angels standing in her sight.

"The angels are here now Doctor. And you will die." The attendant angel informed them calmly.

"Not today." The Doctor replied with a grin. "Because, you lot, you angels are quantum locked, and you...you can be so thick. Thick as a brick. Or a lump of stone. Either, whichever, I'm not bothered. Because it's your problem." He said with a pleasant tone which was a stark contrast with the fury in his eyes.

"What can you do Doctor?" The angel asked. "You will blink and the angels will come for you."

"Oh, I can do so much. So many good things. I have saved so many from creatures like you, some even worse. But then again, I am guilty of terrors, of horrors which you lot wouldn't even be able to commit." He replied darkly. "They happened when I was desperate, and more often than not, angry."

"What can you do Doctor?" The angel repeated calmly.

"You were going to kill River. Turn her into an angel...and I gave you a chance. You could have left. Gone away from here, so very far away. You could have escaped this fate." He raised the mirror a little higher and took a step back. "You asked me what I can do. Angels, I'll tell you this. I can stop you. Stop you from murdering River and countless others."

He pulled out his sonic screwdriver and pointed it at the hand mirror with the angel trapped inside. "Your quantum locked. You become stone. And stone, just like everything else has it's time. It can be eroded by strong waves over centuries. Or, it can shatter." He buzzed the mirror with the sonic with a high pitched sound wave.

"Now angels. You know I'm a Time Lord. And with the power of my TARDIS, which is steeped in Artron energy, connected wirelessly to my beautiful sonic, basically, I'm going to shatter you with Time." He said with a cold tone. "And I'm not sorry, because you chose this angels, you wanted it. You chose not to leave."

He increased the amplitude with a flick of his finger and the high pitched whirring sound increased in pitch so that he and River couldn't hear it anymore. But they could see what it was doing. The glass in the mirror cracked and fell to the floor in small pieces, tinkling in the silence. The angel which had recently been trapped inside was fractured with pure, concentrated Time energy which ripped it apart.

It affected the stone angels in front of River too, and she watched in disbelief as a loud cracking noise emanated from the centre of each. One by one the angels were rent into pieces and crumbled to the floor as chunks of stone from their bodies collapsed to the floor. They turned to little mounds of flakes, dust and small lumps of stone. They were dead. Simply disintegrated stone and no longer angels.

The Doctor sucked in a deep breath and pocketed his sonic screwdriver. "Done and dusted." He simply said as he looked over the remains of the weeping angels. "Are you alright?" He asked River who remained frozen to the spot.

"I can't believe you did that." She said breathlessly, still in shock.

"They chose it." He replied, tilting his head so that he looked into her eyes. "I wasn't going to let my heart turn to stone now was I?" He asked with a little grin.

River stared into his eyes. They burned with the remnants of the wrath of a Time Lord before cooling to the deep sea green she was familiar with. She slowly smiled back and he pulled her into a hug. Both were relieved that they had escaped, because they knew they had so much to come in the future. Their futures.

"Besides, I was being kind. I didn't let you loose on them." He added and she chuckled.

"I suppose so."She agreed with a broad smile. They then slowly walked around the angels' remains and into the TARDIS with their hands entwined.

* * *

_Another slightly long one shot... I hope you leave a review...it's nice to hear what you think! :D_

_And I've now checked over the spelling...angels, not angles...I don't think angles would be very scary! :D _


	22. Home is where the Heart is

_Thank you for the reviews! And now...the return to some fluff...I emphasis 'some'...  
I was sitting on the bus bored and daydreaming...and it popped into my head. Hope you like it!  
To James Birdsong: Thank you._

_River knows the Doctor for roughly the same amout of time that he knows her. In this chapter, a quick appearence from 11 and then... 16? _

* * *

Home is where the Heart is

Gallifrey was his home planet. But it's gone now. With its red grass which swayed in the warm breeze in the summer season and the beautiful orange sky on cloudless days. The citadel of the Time Lords looming over the landscape and the tallest, most celebrated structure inside it where the High Council resided. It permeated the legends with the whispers of Time. There was no other place like it in the universe and there never would be.

And he was called the Wanderer. The Man with no Home. A little like a moon with no planet to orbit around. Lost through time and space. Or a bird migrating but never returning. Always having to move on because there was nowhere to return to. Dancing through the stars in his TARDIS.

It was the last remnant of Gallifrey. A little piece that had survived. He had saved it as it had saved him. Oh, and they had journeyed to such wonderful places, seen such extravagant things. The most beautiful brilliant sights in the whole of time and space. How he loved to walk back to that little blue box which stood at the corner of a street, or tucked behind a cluster of trees. Perhaps hidden in a storage cupboard the occasional time.

To be able to snap his fingers and the bluest of blue front doors to swing open with a soft creak to reveal his home. It was marvellous. He loved his TARDIS with its interchangeable desktops. That noise, the humming, thrumming sound of the engines, the sound of the universe. It was home. His little corner of the universe which he could move to wherever and whenever he wished. The whole of time and space as his back garden, or front. He could run to wherever he wished without ever having to leave it behind.

Yet, the TARDIS which was bigger on the inside than it looked on the outside, was very spacious. Sometimes, he could hear silence echoing down the long corridors which led to so many different rooms. So vast, and it could be so empty. With the chattering of his friends, his companions, the console room was lively, but the rest of the ship was unvisited. Save perhaps the spare room and the wardrobe.

All those corridors unwalked, the rooms with their doors left shut as nobody was there to open them. He couldn't bring himself to wander the full size of his ship, just because he would see too much empty space. Lonely and so very quiet. Maybe that was the reason she made such a noise when landing, in the hope of attracting somebody to walk the corridors and laugh in the secondary console room, or to doze in the indoor garden among the rhododendrons, play games in the holoroom.

Although... the library was quiet because it was supposed to be. It is the unwritten rule of libraries, sometimes pasted on the walls, that there is to be utter silence within the walls. (Except in the 28th century on Denam day in the library of the Collectivised Works of Earth Music. 'Hey Jude' and Slade's 'Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday' rings out through the third and fourth floors due to the fondness of earth music for Pikokas)

However, River Song was probably the only human who violated the silence in a library rule. Her voice rang out through the corridors. "Sweetie, I need your help."

So the Doctor had followed the sound of her voice to the library, where upon he had found River stretching up on her toes, trying to reach what appeared to be the Biography of Houdini.

"What are you doing here?" He asked.

"Hello sweetie." She turned to smile at him and then pointed to the book. "Please."

The Doctor reached for it and then read over the cover before flicking through the pages. "Why do you want this?" He asked confused. "No, actually, wait. How did you get in here?" He frowned at her.

"I have a key, remember?" She smirked, "Well, you will." She grinned widely. "Book please." River held out her hand.

"Why would you want a biography on Houdini?" The Doctor asked as he handed it over.

"No, I don't want it, but you do. You will." She shook her head. "You're deciding on which of his fascinating performances to watch. Although, knowing you, you'll probably want to see them all." She said with a dramatic sigh.

The Doctor smiled, "Spoilers?"

"Not so much, seeing as you told me to collect it." She smiled as she reached for his bowtie and tweaked it. "A little lopsided."

"Hey! You keep your hands away from my bowtie." He said quickly as he remembered the fate of the fez. "No more blasting my accessories."

"Sure sweetie. Shouldn't you get back to realigning the timey-stuff?" Then a warning alarm sounded, blaring loudly through the whole of the ship.

The Doctor slapped his forehead. "You called me right in the middle off it!" He paused and became serious, "We might crash into the Middle Ages!" He said in alarm. He spun around in the spot. "Fine, you can borrow it; just remember to put it back where you found it."

But she was already gone. He paused for a moment, but then the alarm sounded even louder so he ran down the corridors to the console room.

* * *

River popped into reality in the TARDIS console room, but over a century forwards in the Doctor's personal time line. He was lounging on the sofa while occasionally throwing gummy bears into the air and attempting to catch them in his mouth. River chuckled as he missed once again, adding to the scattered sweets which were spread across the floor.

"Oh, you're back! You found it? Fourth shelf up on the left hand side of the magicians bookcase?" He asked as he sat up properly, with more sweets falling to the floor.

"Fifth. You had to come and get it." River said as she sat down beside him.

The Doctor frowned, "Did I? Oh...yes, now I remember." He chuckled, "Bowtie."

"Yes. So any ideas on which showing we're going to?" She looked over the pages which he turned at an alarming rate.

"Hmmm...yes...we could go see the Mirror handcuff challenge, or...the Overboard box escape in New York? I don't know, I can't decide." He looked to her quizzically.

"Fine." She deadpanned and he beamed.

"Both...ooh and maybe, the Milk Can trick too." He said as he got up to input the coordinates on the typewriter.

"Only two." River told him.

"But the Milk Can trick is a classic!" He protested.

"You, wouldn't let me stay for the opening of Tutankhamen's tomb." River reminded him.

"But, all they did was walk inside and then walk back out after finding it disturbing. Nothing much to see there. But, Cleo, now she is an interesting...pharaoh." He decided after seeing the look on River's face. "If we see the milk can trick, I'll take you to Egypt straight afterwards." He proposed.

"For the discovery of Tutankhamen's tomb?" She asked for clarification.

"Yes."

"Deal." And she held onto the side of the sofa as the TARDIS began to spin through the time vortex.

* * *

Of course the TARDIS was a livelier place when there were more people inside it. He alone couldn't wander the corridors himself, the space was meant to be shared. Just like the sights he had seen and the places he'd been too. With River Song, the TARDIS was never seen to be empty or silent. It was so much more alive...and he preferred it that way. With River Song there was a reason to be happy about walking either in or out of those bluest of blue doors. To meet her, or to travel with her. A TARDIS without her it wasn't like home. Too alone, too lonely he would end up as the wandering lost traveller once more, and he didn't want to.

...After all, home is said to be where the heart is.

* * *

_More on the way ;D  
Leave a review to let me know how I'm doing...I like to improve my stories... do I need more work on plots or characters, or detail or speech?_


	23. Being Domestic

_Because I remember 9...and his view on domestic as 'beans on toast', well here's a future Doctor and his domestic...ness! _

_Thanks for all the reviews. I've got some prompts I'm working on, they'll be up eventually. I'm just glad people are still reading this and think it's alright! :D _

_So, another future Doctor and River...they know each other for a while, but I think this is before their wedding. :D _

* * *

Being Domestic

The Doctor was tidying up the console room. He had orders. And as River put it, _"Frankly sweetie, it's a mess. I've been looking for that Agatha Christie book for two weeks and I still haven't found it!"_ So there he was, putting all the spare bits and bobs in the right sections of the attic. He had even found the book by an old kitchen sink, which had been filed under Kyrilliteen for some strange reason. _K, C, easy to get mixed up. _The Doctor thought.

He was just using his sonic to disturb the layer of dust on top of the time rotor, watching it spiral around like a mini tornado, when he paused and frowned. He depressed the 'on' button of the sonic and slowly pocketed the device with a sense of dread. "I've gone all domestic!" He muttered with shock.

He jumped off the time rotor, landing next to the sofa, staggering only slightly. "River!" The Doctor yelled. "We're leaving!"

"What?" She called back, her voice echoed down the corridor.

"We are off!" He shouted. They had to leave, and leave at that precise moment. _Somewhere new, anywhere, although hopefully somewhere interesting. Probably going to be trouble, normally there is. And running. Lots and lots of running. _The perfect dose to combat being domestic, on the Doctor's orders.

He babbled as he walked around the console, his thoughts spewing into a constant stream of words. "Oooh, maybe we can go to Felspoon, or Mechita, or, or, or, or, Passule. Yes! And see the canyons of Asgos."

River walked into the console room, reapplying her red lipstick. "Sweetie, have you tidied up?"

The Doctor sighed inwardly. "Yep."

"What about the vortex galvanisers?" She asked him as she leaned against the railing and smiled.

"Yep. All cleaned up and done." He replied as he turned a large dial to the red section. River raised an eyebrow and he sighed out loud. "I'll do it when we get back!"

"Fine by me, but make sure it's done. You can't say that I'm not allowed to help tidy the console and that you will, if you don't." She told him and he nodded in agreement.

"Yep. But we're busy now, so where to go?" He mused. "Maybe Iiilai? Sounds good?"

"Sounds brilliant."

The TARDIS spun through the time vortex, forwards through time, careening towards the planet Iiilai in the 76th century, to its main city New Aston. The TARDIS whirred and groaned as it rematerialised into reality. The door was quickly flung open by an eager Doctor and he stepped out into the warm orange sunlight on a cloudless day.

"What?" He spun around, looking at all his surroundings. "Where is everything?"

Now, New Aston was one of those perfect postcard holidays, and indeed, there were postcards of New Aston with beautiful glass buildings which reached for the deep orange sky and then sparkled in the moonlight of Flaur, also known as the Lost Moon of Poosh. And the people, New Aston was a popular tourist destination with visitors from all over the galaxy. The locals were well known for their charming hospitality. The Doctor has been looking forward to it all, but as he turned on the spot, he couldn't see any of it.

Instead, New Aston was deserted. There was no magnificent skyline, or people doing the 'tourist thing'. There were ruined buildings all around, crumbling and half disintegrated. The whole planet, the whole civilisation was just gone. "This isn't supposed to be like this." River stated.

The Doctor shook his head and then turned around to face her; the frown faded from his face and was replaced by a blinding grin.

"Now this, is the complete opposite of domestic...ness" His grin grew wider and then he sprinted off to the nearest building, which looked only slightly structurally safe, to get a better view of the situation.

* * *

_Review please :D _


	24. Their Time

_I've been reading a bit of background stuff on Wiki. And River is a humanoid alien...hmmm. The Doctor is also a humanoid alien. But I don't think she's Time Lord, or Lady. I'm getting worried about Series 6 and how the writers are saying that River is someone who you won't think she is. This whole one shot series might turn out to be incredibly AU, but let's see how it goes..._

_Thanks for the reviews so far! Another bus stop one shot! Buses are boring; I'd rather travel by TARDIS. And the wibbly-wobbly quote is from Doctor Who. Don't blink and remember to review _!^-^!

* * *

Their Time

Time. It is a well debated issue with quantum physicists. School children are taught the basics and people grumble that they are running out of it while standing in the drizzling rain at the bus stop waiting for the bus which was supposed to have already come.

There are many theories about the concept of time because it's abstract. You can't see it, hear it, touch it or taste it. We can only see the sun rise up, followed by the moon and how things change as time passes us by. It's intangible and yet can fascinate us so much. Look at how '_time flies by'_, '_time's running out'_. Technically it stretches on, never starting and never ending. As a wise man once said, _"It's more like a big ball of wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey...stuff."_

Some believe that time itself is a focal point. That the whole of time is encompassed in a brief moment, and like a flash of lightning, everything happens at the same time, but for us trapped inside it, we see it slowed down.

The human view of time is much more linear. Things are spaced out in a kind of chronological order, the past, the present and the future. Things which happened, will happen, are happening, and might happen. Possibilities and probabilities and history. There's even a whole part of language dedicated to time related words, yesterday, today, tomorrow, before, after.

The Time Lords had a more objective view of time. They used this for time travel, how to power a TARDIS and slip out of reality and travel through the Time Vortex. They discovered its little nuances and how time worked, eventually they could control it and so became Lords of Time.

Some people see time as a precious thing. That once a moment was gone, it can never be returned to. Like sand slipping through fingers. They live by an old phrase, 'Carpe diem', seize the day. They joke that they will live forever or die trying. Others would while away the days and wonder what they would do if they could relive past events. Muse and ponder on how to change them.

For the Doctor and River, time was both their ally and their enemy. They would never spend their time together in chronological order. Instead, slipping backwards and forwards through each other's lives. For instance, a Doctor Song meeting a young Doctor. A Professor Song meeting the youngest Doctor she'd ever see. An old Doctor who would in due course meet a young River.

Things never coincided for long. Just snapshots in time, pushing them forwards with little glimpse of their future that teasing them, until the few moments which were considered extremely precious came around. They held these above the rest of their time together.

And sure, there was running, and sadness, and fallen friends and bittersweet goodbyes while they travelled to those few moments. Those brief periods of time when they were together. But they wouldn't have it any other way. The Doctor and River Song in the TARDIS, just the way it was always supposed to be.


	25. The Best Man She Had Ever Known AU

_Hello! So this one was like a whole essay! But it had to be long to do that plot thing justice. I would like to state now, that this is AU. Nothing in remote relation to cannon. AU! AU! AU!. (Although if something like this does happen, remember, you read it here first!) _

_I'd like to say thanks to all the reviews, since you lot all like reading this, it feels like I can't stop writing, which is exactly what I want to do. Lyrics are from the cresendo part of the song, seems fitting. _

_This fits in around CH19 Stargazers. Enjoy! :D _

_This is the 11th Doctor...aka Matt Smith! :D _

_

* * *

_

_'It's a cold and broken hallelujah.'  
- Hallelujah, Alexandra Burke-_

* * *

The Best Man She Had Ever Known

"Doctor! Life signs are fading quickly and the oxygen is at critical levels." River called as she watched the bar slip into the red on the computer.

"That's...not good." He called as he pushed up the sleeves on his tweed jacket.

"And there's a temporal spatial fluctuation near the generator." She added as the scans picked up the energy. "That's odd." She frowned as she inspected the data. She pulled up the camera feeds quickly and froze the picture just as it began to fade.

"What's odd?" The Doctor asked as he worked to stabilise the atmosphere of the little planet.

"That's the...TARDIS?" She said, before looking behind her. The Doctor's TARDIS sat at the corner of the room, bright blue and parked with the handbrake on. She looked back to the image on the screen. It was definitely the TARDIS.

"Where?" He asked as he glanced back in between inputting instructions to the main eco-systems. River twisted the screen to show him. "That's my TARDIS!" He stated. "That's my TARDIS. What's it doing there?" He asked her. They both stared at each other in confusion for a moment.

"There's another temporal spatial fluctuation. I'm tracking it." River said as she scanned once more, "It's coming from this room." She told the Doctor, confused at the reader.

"Well, it's not my TARDIS. Must be malfunctioning. Give it a whack." He replied as he worked to establish the right levels of nitrogen and oxygen so that the people outside could survive. Something unknown to them had knocked out the system completely and they had struggled to fix the generator which had threatened to turn the planet into a radioactive swamp.

"It's still not working." River replied as the scan showed that the fluctuation was still in the room. Then she gasped as she heard the noise. The groaning, thrumming sound of the TARDIS engines. And it wasn't from the one parked in the corner of the room.

"What?" The Doctor said as he paused and turned around.

"Is that...no, it's not your TARDIS." River answered as the Doctor's TARDIS sat still and silent in the corner. Another TARDIS began to materialise in the centre of the room. It was tall, blue and looked like a 1960's police box. The exact same TARDIS.

"No, no, no, no, no, no, no." The Doctor shouted. "Go back!" He yelled at it, hoping that he would hear inside.

Nevertheless, the door swung open. "Ah, Doctor. Long time no see." A man with a black coat and dark trousers walked out. He had icy grey eyes and dark hair which contrasted and made his face look paler than it was. He undid the buttons on his coat and then tossed it back through the doors which then swung shut with a quiet creak. "Remember me?" He asked the Doctor.

The Doctor grimaced at the man. River looked back and forth between them. "Who are you?"

"And look, it's the ever faithful companion. I'm the Valeyard, Dr Song." He introduced himself.

"River, stay away from him. And you, you stay away from her." The Doctor ordered.

"My, my. Still officious as ever." The Valeyard smirked. "Did you like what I did?" He turned to the Doctor and River took a few steps back to put some distance between her and the strange man. He emanated an air which made her dislike him.

"You did this?" The Doctor asked, taken aback. The Valeyard smiled. "You jammed the generator and messed with the eco-systems?" The Doctor asked, shifting his jaw forwards in anger.

"Only a little fun. Besides I had to come and see who would stop me. You're doing a fabulous job." The Doctor frowned continued to type more instructions, the ones which were deleted by the Valeyard. His fingers flew across the keyboard in an attempt to save the atmosphere.

"Oh, don't look at me like that. I couldn't bear it." The Valeyard commented with mock hurt, "Doctor, just think. The planet as a burning red rock, with the radiation mixing in with the atmosphere in beautiful swirls. Igniting the nitrogen and blazing in columns fifty feet high. What a marvel it could have been."

"And the five million Drangons? What about them? They would burn and die. But, you wouldn't care about them would you?" The Doctor spat. The Valeyard smiled.

"Dr Song, how can you bear to be with this overbearing man? You know he's a hypocrite." The Valeyard asked.

"Stop it." The Doctor said as he looked up and the Valeyard smiled.

"Oh, but can you?" He mocked.

"Doctor, who is he?" River asked as she began to adjust the atmospheric controls which were coming online once more due to the Doctor's frantic work.

"He's the Valeyard." The Doctor replied, before reaching to slot in the control disks.

"That's not all I am. I have had many names in my past." The Valeyard interrupted, still smirking at the Doctor. "I have gone by the name Dr Foreman, John Smith, and of course the ever famous and well loved Doctor."

"What!" River asked as she looked to the Doctor, who didn't look at her and only glared at the Valeyard before returning to his job.

"It's true." He mumbled.

"And, you, did this? How could you!" She asked, gesturing to the window and the sky which was slowly turning back to orange from the dangerous dark red due to the Doctor's efforts.

"Because, I could." The Valeyard replied with a little shrug. "Besides, he's gone and undone it now. Shame. Almost a waste of my time." He sighed as the Doctor looked up to glare at him once more.

"Leave now. And don't you dare..." The Doctor broke off as the computer chimed. He slapped the computer screen twice as it fuzzed. "Outdated system needs configuring." He muttered darkly.

The Valeyard tutted, "Should always double check your work."

"You should never have done this in the first place." The Doctor said.

"Who are you to tell me what to do?" The Valeyard demanded. "Who are you to stop me?" The Doctor looked at him sadly. "Are you sorry that you never could? Are you so very very sorry?" The Valeyard taunted.

"You know I won't stop you in the way you want." The Doctor said without looking at him. "It's why you're still here, standing there like a ghoul with no home. No heart. A shadow across the rest of my life with nothing to do except haunt me." He spat. The computer chimed again, this time to signal that the system was reconfigured and that further instructions were needed.

"But I do it well." The Valeyard grinned.

"Leave now. Don't come back." The Doctor repeated.

"And where shall I go my dear Doctor. Oh, you are so close to my hearts." The Valeyard sneered, "Should I go to your precious human planet Earth? Oh, wouldn't they be pleased to see me again. I step out of the magnificent TARDIS and they can see me in all your glory."

"Don't you dare. You should leave, now. Back off to the Knacker's Yard while you still can." The Doctor said angrily.

"Will you come and stop me then?" The Valeyard leaned forwards. "Will the Doctor come and stop me and save his precious humans?"

"I won't have to." The Doctor replied.

The Valeyard tilted his head, staring at the man in tweed in front of him. "Oh, now that's just sneaky!" He said, smiling in surprise. "You tattler. You called the police to come and arrest me. Now that's just an insult. Will those stomping rhinos be able to catch me?"

The Doctor nodded. "The Judoon are close, the longer you stay, the closer they'll get. I believe you are a wanted man. Now leave." He instructed.

"I think I will." The Valeyard nodded his head. "Only, I will need to make a pit stop. Fuel's running low. Perhaps Cardiff? It is a handy pit stop. Besides a quick blast of stet radiation will have that Rift cracked wide open. No need to trek it all the way across to the Medusa Cascade any longer."

"Don't-" The Doctor began but was cut off.

"Don't I...what? Don't I dare? You know me better than that." The Valeyard beamed, "I do dare."

"You won't do anything to Earth, leave them alone!" The Doctor ordered.

"Now that's not fair." The Valeyard complained. "You're going to stop me Doctor? But, oh, how can you?"

The Doctor stared at him, eyes flashing with anger, but unable to anything. How could he? After all, the Valeyard was him, albeit a much darker version of him. One who believed that everything the Time Lords had left behind, all the Laws of Time, belonged to him. That he could manipulate them to do anything he wished. He would willingly destroy a planet, just for the view, and not even blink twice about the loss of life.

He was so different to the Doctor, yet he was him. Further down the line and twisted with emotions which had dragged him down deeper. Perhaps some internalised form of survivor's guilt which had resurfaced. Maybe, he had snapped from living so lonely for so long, watching everything pass him by. River didn't know why the Valeyard was the way he was. But she did know that he wasn't joking nor lying when he spoke about what he would do. She had already seen what he had done and she didn't doubt him. That he would dare. So she found herself standing opposite him with the gun in her hand.

"Oh, River Song!" The Valeyard called, teasing her. "Now, that end is the dangerous end." He pointed out with a smirk. "River, River, River. But can you. Because I can see. I can see you. All that running and you were scared, all that chasing aliens and seeing pretty sights. And then there's fear. Ooh, terror in your sweet little eyes. Can you really pull that trigger? Do you dare?" He scoffed.

"River..." The Doctor called with a warning tone.

"No. Let her stand there. Doctor. Another one of your Children of Time. What do you reduce them to?" He taunted before returning his piercing gaze to her wide eyes. "Every song must come to an end. But can you end mine?"

There was silence in the room for a split second, and then what seemed like the loudest bang in the universe. The gun in River's hand had smoke curling up out of the barrel and a small tremor ran down her arm, shaking it. She looked at the Doctor whose face was one of pure shock. The Valeyard slowly crumpled onto the floor with a little grin.

The Doctor dashed forwards and took the gun out of her hand and threw it behind him, out of everyone's reach.

"I don't..." River began but she couldn't finish of her sentence. She didn't know what words to say. Somehow she registered the alarm bells which grew louder and louder and she blinked before looking at the door.

"The Judoon." The Doctor stated as the sound of the heavy boots clumped on the concrete stairs, not far off. He pulled out his sonic screwdriver and pointed it at the door, locking it. Wanting only one thing to think about.

"Doctor?" River said quietly, tears had left rivulets of water on her face and they slowly dripped off her chin. He didn't look at her. He continued to stare at the Valeyard who lay crumpled on the floor. One hand on his chest against the bullet hole and another fisted up on the ground.

"Not now River." He told her as he walked towards the Valeyard and crouched down. "I'm sorry." He told him, as he took the fisted up hand. The Valeyard only grimaced at him, not having the energy to argue, or make a comment. "So, you got what you wanted."

The Valeyard made a spluttering noise which was meant to be a laugh. There was a banging noise on the door. "Ro ko flo sho no!" The Judoon ordered the door to be opened. The Valeyard spluttered again.

"River, stay here." The Doctor ordered and began to drag the Valeyard to his TARDIS. The doors were reopened with a quick snap of his fingers and he pulled the other man inside. "Don't like the decor in here. Maybe you'll change the desktop." The Doctor babbled as he lay the dying Time Lord onto the floor by the console.

He quickly ran around the console and flicked a couple of switches. "Don't want to cause a paradox or summon up some Reapers. He ended up back near the Valeyard. "Right, it's all stabilised." He informed him as he saw the Valeyard's face begin to glow, the telltale sign of regeneration.

The Valeyard moaned in response and the Doctor nodded. "I'd better make myself scarce. I don't think this will be pretty." He ran back out of the Valeyard's TARDIS and paused at the door. "Good luck." He whispered as he slipped out of the door. And then he pulled himself back in.

* * *

Outside the TARDIS, River Song was being clamped into handcuffs. As soon as the Doctor had dragged the Valeyard into the TARDIS she remembered how to move. Slowly, she walked to the door and unlocked it. The Judoon marched in. "No, kro, flo, jo, lo." They demanded to know what had happened.

River confessed with only a slight tremor in her voice and they recorded the statement. "I killed him. It was me. I killed the Doctor."

"River." The Doctor whispered, and she looked past the Judoon to him. They couldn't see past the perception filter, too thick, but River knew he was there. "I'm so sorry sweetie." She told him as the Judoon marched her out of the room, away from the scene of the crime and away from him.

* * *

_Stormcage Containment Facility, three years later. _

"You know, I'm the one who deserves to be on the other side of these bars." The Doctor mused.

River shook her head, "No."

"It was a crime, you did kill him. Although, he wasn't really living. It certainly wasn't life; he just kept pushing limits and daring simply because there was no one to stop him. He thought that that was it. And that the Laws of Time were his to rearrange as it pleased him, no one to call him to account, all those horrors he committed because no one was there to hold him back. To make him realise what he was doing. But, it wasn't a life. Nowhere near one." The Doctor paused, "What you did River. To me, it was a favour. And that deserves one in return." He fished out his sonic screwdriver from his pocket.

"Really?" River asked in astonishment. "I didn't think you'd ever forgive me." She said as she leaned her head against the bars.

"Maybe, if I was still him. But I'm not." He replied with a little smile as he buzzed the lock open. River blinked twice as though she still couldn't believe it. The Doctor extended a hand and she took it as she stepped out from her prison cell.

"You look...good." She said after a short pause.

"I feel good too." He replied, grinning and looking down at his new self. River took in the battered clothes and was reminded of little Amelia's drawing of her Raggedy Doctor.

"I know, I look a mess. All raggedy again!" He chuckled and she smiled along too. "I look like I've fallen out the TARDIS. Need a quick visit to the wardrobe." He took a step backwards and River let go of his hand. "You know, get rid of the raggedy."

River nodded in agreement. The Doctor frowned, just a little bit and too quick for her to notice. Then he clapped his hands loudly. "Right then. I'll be off." He announced with a broad smile.

"Thank you Doctor, for forgiving me. I know it must have been difficult." River said sincerely and smiled as she watched him.

He nodded his head in acknowledgement. "And, now," He jerked his head backwards; his blonde curls shook with the movement. "Back to the TARDIS. Lots of new places to see with these fresh new eyes. Like them?" He winked at her and she continued to smile at him, although he could see that she was reluctant to see him leave.

Then he sighed loudly and dramatically, "God you humans can be so slow!" He said exasperatedly and River mouth dropped open in surprise. The Doctor took a step forwards so that he stood right in front of her. Then he stared into her eyes and spoke. "River, I'm going off back to my marvellous time machine. Is there anywhere that you would like to be dropped off?"

Then he grinned as she laughed in shock. "Really?"

"Why else would I ask?" He said as he reached for her hand again. "So sweetie." He mimicked, "Where do you want to go? I think that the Breom Meadows would be nice, next century though obviously. That's when the Liwe flowers flower, the whole meadows have a carpet of golden bulbs which just look marvellous. A complete one in a lifetime thing, it never happens on such a scale like that ever again. I think you'd like that." He began and she opened her mouth to agree.

"But, then again..."He continued without taking a breath, "Barcelona. Not the planet, no, been there fairly recently, but the city. We could go see Gaudi! Yes, some nice lemonade in the Spanish sunshine with Gaudi, maybe suggest that he puts a little more detail into his work. Just a tad, I mean, not go overboard. His buildings are brilliant but, you know, a little pattern here, some fancy chiselling there and then it can work wonders, really." River nodded her head as she listened in amusement.

They began to walk down the corridor towards the TARDIS which was parked inside a supply closet further down. "Or...maybe..." The Doctor broke off to look at River. She looked at him because he had stopped talking. "Where do you want to go?" He asked with another broad smile to match.

"I don't mind sweetie, you decide." She said told him and carried on smiling; glad to have _her_ Doctor back.

* * *

_Right, the Valeyard is supposed to be some form of the Doctor in between his 12th and 13th face. A dark version of him. Imagine the Dream Lord but not just a bit of psychic pollen, but the Doctor. The Time Lord Victorious but gone a little carzy mad. Doesn't sound very good. But that's the explanation. _

_Another few mini-episodes coming up soon so stay tuned and review please! :D_


	26. River Song

_Well guys, when I was writing this, I felt like I was writing the very last chapter of the series. But it's not! Although, if this was a linear story then it would probably be the last chapter. Maybe when I finish it I'll stick it at the end. But for now...here you go..._

_Thanks for all the reviews... :D _

* * *

River Song

The Doctor seemed nervous as he looked past the time rotor to her. He swallowed noisily before opening and closing his mouth before making words come out.

"River?" He asked and she turned around after pulling her coat off the railings. "Would you like to travel with me? In the TARDIS. We could see, oh, such marvellous things. The golden beaches of Doorm, or watch Axxoperdi collaspe into the Loone black hole..."

River just smiled softly at him and he could see that she was sorely tempted. The whole of time and space with the Doctor. But then she shook her head slowly. "Maybe when you're older."

He nodded, understanding. "Don't want to tangle up timelines which aren't supposed to be tangled."

"Or implode a star or two." She added and she smile grew a little wider. "I'll see you again. Very soon."

"Until then, sweetie." He mimicked and he gave a little wave as she walked out of the TARDIS doors.

* * *

He had met Emmeline Pankhurst while walking past Downing Street. She was handcuffed to the railings outside and he had attempted to be a gent and unlocked them with his sonic screwdriver. She demanded that they be locked again and when he reached over to fix his mistake she had swiped his laser spanner from his pocket. She had been prepared to die for her cause, fighting for women's suffrage, most of them had as they played the Cat and Mouse game.

Cleopatra had been a fantastic poker player and was in control of a whole empire. Known as the most famous female pharaoh and her life story was told for millennia to come. She had died for love; she couldn't bear to be without Marc.

Nasreen Chowdrey was yet another, she had decided to act on behalf of the human race and agreed to stay with the Silurians to help guide the process of diplomacy when they reawoke and joined the world once more. Willing to stay behind and be frozen in time, leaving behind the world she knew.

The Doctor had travelled through time, and across so many galaxies, and he had met loads of women during his trips. They were brilliant and clever and brave and amazing. But River Song took the cake, the one with the little edible ball bearings on top.

Because whenever he saw her, he remembered their very first meeting. It was there in his eyes every time they walked into the TARDIS to journey off to the stars. What she had done, not only for the people of the Great Library, but for him. How he couldn't, wouldn't, shouldn't have dared to stop her. For a Doctor she had never seen before and would never know, she had taken his place. And he couldn't ever forget, erase that moment from his memory. Which was why she was marvellous, and why he was indebted to her forever.

It was also why as they stood at the top of Singing Towers at Darillium, he with his new hair cut short and a new suit with a smart tie, and she with a concerned expression as the tears silently rolled down his face, he couldn't tell her anything. He just smiled and said that he would see her very soon, and to take care. They simply looked out at the view as the Towers sung and knew that their time together was running out. That the midpoint would soon be crossed and that afterwards they would not be simply moving towards each other, but also away.

* * *

_Review! :D_


	27. Breom Meadows and a Ball

_Hello again :D _

_Right, well, this was long... and I have to admit now, heavily influenced by the Luxe series (I do not own.) I love Amy and Rory so I had to add them in. This can be set during the gap between the las series of DW and the next one which shall start in months turning into weeks! _

_Prompter: Ramon-Tiva-TenRiv  
Prompt: Late 1800's, America, a ball. _

_Prompter: (I think it was Allebasi?)  
Prompt: Breom Meadows. _

_And because Breom Meadows was mentioned in an episode._

_Hope you like it _!^-^!

* * *

Breom Meadows and a Ball

Breom Meadows. Where the sky is always a shade of purple and the stars can always be seen between the deep purple rolling clouds which slowly travel across the sky in the warm sweet breeze. The Doctor and River sat on the long golden grass that swayed lazily and one regarded the other with a smirk while the other had an expression which bordered between a grimace and impatience.

"So, diaries..." The Doctor said and glanced at the little blue book which was the same shade as the wooden doors of his brilliant TARDIS with scrutinising eyes.

"Yes." River replied with a grin.

"Am I ginger? He blurted out. She stared at him and he cleared his throat. "You said that you've got all my faces in that book...In the future, am I ginger?" He asked.

River chuckled. "I do need the Spotter's Guide to the Doctor. Otherwise it would be a little tricky trying to identify you, seeing as you like to change your face.

"Don't like it. Why would I need to change my face? I think I look pretty good in this regeneration. Lost the raggedy and got a really cool bowtie. I don't see anything wrong with that. I think it's all in your head River, some broken connection between the neurons which can recognise cool bowties and fezzes." He jokingly waved his sonic in her face and she batted it away.

"How many other faces do you see me as?" He asked after a short pause.

"A few." She said nonchalantly.

"Are they better than now?"

"You've got a baby face now." She grinned and he looked as though he was deciding whether it was a compliment or not.

"Anything else you want to divulge?" He asked bluntly.

River shook her head. "Spoilers. All of it."

"Oh please, I know everything." The Doctor replied. "It wouldn't be a spoiler because I know everything that needs to be known...actually, I know most things, some of the time..." He trailed off because he knew it was about the same size of lie as him being a responsible adult and he didn't really want to try that with the psychic paper again. Scribbles.

River just blinked and told him. "It's your rules."

He scoffed. "My rules." Then he tutted. "Only I'd come up with something like that...or you might just be lying and I'm never going to be ginger."

River sighed exasperatedly. "You, should've just stayed in the TARDIS wardrobe if you wanted to have a ginger mop. I'm sure you've got a selection of wigs somewhere in there. And a variety of party hats to amuse you until the fad wears off."

"Fad!" He sulked. "I'm going to love bowties forever."

"Besides." River said, in an attempt to move the conversation on. "You've seen a fairly large share of time. I think that's spoilers enough. It's good not to know everything."

"But you know my personal future; you know how annoying that is."

"I blame you for that."

"What?"

"You, and the Spoltt stabilisers. Never ending up on the right time for a good proportion of our earlier meetings." River said with a half smile, "We have a habit of meeting in the wrong order, and it can be frustrating at the time, extremely frustrating, but it's still a meeting. I've seen you older, and looking a lot older than you do now, with your baby face."

"Baby face." He grimaced as he pushed his floppy fringe back.

River continued ignoring the childish comment. "And then I've seen you older, but looking young. I suppose it can be daunting at some times, meeting a new you, an older you, and then seeing a much younger you. But the spoilers have to be spoilers. Otherwise it wouldn't be any fun, would it sweetie?" She asked him.

"I suppose I have a lot of spoilers, _Doctor_ Song." He said.

"And what do you mean by that?" River asked him with a frown.

"Nothing, nothing at all..." The Doctor trailed off as he found a little green ladybug and let it run around his hand for a moment while River scowled at him.

"I hate you." She told him playfully.

"Ditto." He checked his watch and nodded. "Well, I think that would be more than enough time for sigh seeing. Have to go back to the Horseshoe Nebula to pick up Pond and..." He pointed at his nose.

"Rory?" River prompted.

"Yes, that's the one!"The Doctor clapped his hands together and stood up, stretching out and then he pocketed his own new diary, in the same shade of blue as the TARDIS, and River's.

"If Amy catches you..." River said as she stood up too.

The Doctor waved his hands, "No, she won't. Especially if you don't go telling her."

They walked through the long swaying grass until they reached the TARDIS. The Doctor unlocked the door and then leaned side of the TARDIS.

"So." River said smiling at the TARDIS.

"So." The Doctor replied. "Do you need to be dropped off anywhere?" He asked.

River thought about it, "Only if your sure you can land on the right temporal coordinates." She said while raising her eyebrow.

The Doctor spluttered. "Right temporal coordinates...who do you think I am? Time Lord, River Song, a Time Lord. I can tell where I've landed in the first twenty seconds." He said as he walked into the TARDIS and up to the console, his fingers hovered over typewriter, ready to input said coordinates.

"If you say so sweetie." River replied as she leaned on the side of the console. "C897-8B655-7373-A77." She watched as he typed in the coordinates and then ran around the console to flip levers and then the TARDIS lurched from side to side as they travelled.

"Handbrake!" She yelled but the Doctor didn't hear her as he tried to stabilise the vortex transducers.

* * *

The TARDS jerked to a stop and the sound of the engines faded away. The Doctor grinned at her, "Right then River Song. Exactly where you wanted to be." He announced as he flung open the front doors and stepped out; River followed him with a sigh as she glanced at the screen.

"Here we are-" He broke off as he stared at the surroundings. "Ah, now I can see the problem. Hardly anything to see though, and there's not much need to stay here, no, River. Don't bother coming outside." He said hurriedly.

"New York. 1897." She stated. "The second of October." She added before turning around to him. "Half past seven in the evening."

The Doctor looked up to the blue sky in which the stars were slowly making an appearance. "At least I got the planet right." River hummed in agreement before bursting into laughter and the Doctor joined in too.

"Well, this is nice, besides the Ponds don't need to be picked up just yet. I've got a time machine after all." He reasoned.

"As long as you promise to land the TARDIS properly next time." She said before taking his arm. They set off down the street after he locked the TARDIS with a bleep.

"Just like a car alarm. It's it great!" He gushed.

"Certainly is."

"See, you can appreciate it, you try telling an Ood..." He shook his head.

"Not too impressed?"

"No, not much."

They walked around the corner of the street to a much larger one which had a small line of carriages waiting in the road outside what could only be described as a grand house. It was as large as the other ones bordering it, but was buzzing with activity as people were exiting their transport and walking up the steps to go inside.

"I wonder what's going on there?" River asked.

"A party?" He mused and then grinned.

* * *

They walked up the steps to the front doors and two footmen in uniform stood either side of the large wooden door, they were discussing about how some of the homeless people in the area were disappearing off the streets but stopped chatting as they saw the newest guests. The Doctor and River grinned at the two young men who looked at them curiously. The Doctor had only changed his normal tweed jacket to his suit one, but kept his blue bowtie and black boots. River, on the other hand, after a quick conversation in which the Doctor confirmed that it definitely looked like a fancy dress ball, disappeared into the TARDIS wardrobe...

_She had emerged a few minutes later and adjusted her outfit. "How do I look?" She asked as she pulled out a pair of red high heels from her bag._

_The Doctor looked up from the console and watched as she slipped on the shoes. "Is that from the wardrobe too?" He asked, pointing at the bag._

_"No, it's mine." She gave him a pointed look._

_"Oh, yes. You look very nice." He nodded, before tweaking his bowtie. "Dressing up as Cleopatra. Sure to be one of the most interesting costumes at the ball." He noted._

The Doctor glanced at River again as they took the last step up to the doorway. She could see that he was looking at her out of the corner of her eye and her grin grew a little wider. The Doctor pulled out his psychic paper from his pocket.

"Good evening." He greeted the footmen with a wide smile.

The young boy on the left read out what he could see on it and turned it into a greeting. "Good evening, Sir Doctor of TARDIS and, Lady River."

They walked into the house and into a large hall where there were flowers draped around the balcony of the first floor and the staircases which were on either side of the room had people dressed up in various costumes from various eras of time. And French courtier costumes seemed popular with the young men.

The Doctor leaned closer to River and whispered in her ear. "If you happen to see any broken clocks, let me know." She frowned but nodded her head.

He was about to say something but a bleeping noise sounded from his pocket. He pulled out a small device; triangular shaped with three protruding pins and a centre which glowed blue and yellow alternating. The centre spun around haphazardly.

"What's it picking up?" River asked as the Doctor turned towards the wall so that none of the locals could see the device.

He shook it twice before putting it up to his ear. "It sounds like; it's picking up...a distress signal?" He frowned and shook it again. "Yep, a distress signal. You know, this is probably why the TARDIS was pulled off course." He added.

"Can you trace it?"

"Maybe, should be able to work." He rattled the device as the centre of it spun and it continued to bleep. "Only it isn't." He huffed before rattling it again. "Never works well. Still." He spun around on the spot. "Still, whatever's sending the distress signal must be nearby for this to pick it up. Although it's not much use now." He said as he pocketed it.

"Here?" River asked alarmed as she turned around in a circle scrutinising the people who stood and chatted, others danced and some were plucking off new drinks of trays and putting their empty ones in their place.

"Maybe?" He answered. "But if something is sending a distress signal, then it's more than likely to have crashed. Earth is a lot quieter than the twenty first century, no loud signals being sent out. It's likely that whoever it is needs a little help and the detector only works in short range, which makes the origin is less than a mile away. Should be easy to find out."

"And how do you suppose we do that?"

"Easy, look around." He waved at a man who was dressed in a dark red French courtier costume, complete with matching red tights. The man slowly waved back, unsure of the Doctor's appearance. "Shall we go make some new friends?" He asked with a grin, still waving at the man.

"Why not?" River walked over to the man and he quickly followed.

* * *

They mingled with a few guests and they spoke about the weather, how it was a cold autumn and that there may be more snow in the winter than normal. One old man described to them in detail his new oil portfolio and how he was about to buy a house on Fifth Avenue where the old money families lived.

Another woman rambled on about the Paris fashions and how silk and satin were making a comeback with small frills on hems. River nodded pleasantly and the Doctor stared off into the distance until she stopped talking. When the woman paused for a breath he managed to interrupt.

"Really, that's very fascinating; however I do believe that Lady River is parched. Please excuse us." He smiled and River nodded before they made their escape.

"Mmmm, smells like strawberry punch." The Doctor said as he picked up a glass.

"Are you still a banana daiquiri man?" She smirked.

"So, I still like bananas?" He grinned before putting a finger on his lips and he took two steps backwards so that he stood closer to two women in large ball gowns who had neglected to dress up because they believed that they were above childish games. After all, when everyone dressed as a French courtier or a French courtesan it became tedious.

"I heard that the same thing happened at the Holland mansion." The woman in red whispered.

"Really Emma? I recall Diane telling me how the electrical lights were stolen and the window was broken. It's dreadful. All those expensive new electrical items broken. It's horrendous!" The other exclaimed in a hushed tone.

"I believe that's three houses now broken into. And the telegraph in the Mayor's home. Henry and I fear that it could happen to us next."

"No, the thieves wouldn't dare."

The Doctor stepped back to River and frowned. "What did you hear?" She asked curiously as she looked past to the two who had now been asked to dance.

"It sounds like whatever crashed is scavenging, to repair a ship maybe?" He said thoughtfully.

"Dinner is about to be served, may all guests be seated in the dining hall." A footman announced and people began to move towards a doorway which had been opened up. As the Doctor and River followed the crowd inside, a pale woman with long blonde hair and dressed in a dark green dress stumbled into the Doctor. He hissed and grasped hold of her hand as it was in his pocket. Her fingers were around the TARDIS key.

"Now that's stealing." He told her in a reproachful tone.

She hissed back at him and he took two steps back. Some of the people who were lagging behind in the doorway stopped to watch the interaction between the man wearing a bowtie, the woman dressed like Cleopatra and the woman in the emerald coloured dress.

"Now, what are you?" He asked with wide searching eyes.

"She looks like a human." River commented.

"Who are you? What's your name?" The Doctor asked politely. The woman only hissed in reply. "We picked up your distress signal. We can help. I'm the Doctor, and this is River Song. Who are you?" He asked calmly.

"We know you've been stealing things. You need help to repair your ship?" River asked.

The woman merely hissed before lunging at the Doctor's hand which held the TARDIS key. He quickly stepped back and River reached for the first thing she could. A punch bowl. She grabbed it and chucked it over the woman. The red liquid dripped over her green dress and blonde hair, and then she flickered.

"Oh, she's using a Shimmer." River breathed in realisation.

The woman flickered again, the image turned from her to something transparent with lots of teeth before flicking back to a woman. "Everybody get back!" The Doctor shouted to the people who stood and stared at the woman who wasn't a woman. She hissed loudly and the sound filled the silence. Most of the other people who had already been seated at the table were also staring in shock.

A glass slipped out a man's hand and the silence was broken as the crystal shattered on the marble floor. A woman screamed, and then there was a rush of people trying to get through to the dining hall and far away from the hissing creature. Women were desperately trying to push their way into the next room but with such large dresses and metal cages propping them up, it was difficult for there to be more than person passing through the doorway at the time. Coupled with the urgent shouts of other people whose heads flicked from the strange woman to the dining hall, some footmen had the bright idea of opening another door where people surged forwards so that they could escape from this apparent supernatural nightmare.

"No, no. You don't need to be afraid of them." The Doctor said as he put his hands up. "We can help you. Tell me, what do you need?"

"Energy. Any form of energy." The woman hissed before she ripped off the Shimmer device which was around her neck, posing as an ornate gold necklace. She threw it to the floor before it broke. River frowned at the broadness of the creature's statement. As soon as the Shimmer broke, the creature's true form was revealed, sending the guests into a further panic and several women and a few men fainted.

The entity was a translucent form with a pale shimmer which was tinged golden-bronze from the Kreon energy from its ship's engines. It was a humanoid shape but with tendrils for hair and they rippled and flicked from side to side as they ran along her back. She hovered a few inches off the ground and bobbed in the air as she glared at them with jet black eyes.

"Right, well. I'm sure I've got some batteries and spare power cells in the TARDIS." The Doctor said as he glanced around to see if there were any straggling humans, but they weren't. Nearly all had shoved their way towards the doors and were clustered behind him, looking both fearful and in suspicion at the conversation taking place.

"TARDIS?" She rasped.

He peered closely at her, "You're an Atlai." He said with realisation. "I'm a Time Lord. I can help you. Just, don't hurt anyone here."

The woman gave a scratchy chuckle, sounding like sandpaper scraping along a brick. "And why would I believe you? You say you are a Time Lord. They are all gone, turned to ashes and dust and nothing. The consequences of their Time War devastated us. You say you can help, you have a key to a spaceship, but I have found humans to lie."

"I'm not human. And I'm not letting you kill anyone here. Now, this is a level four planet, almost bordering on level five, you can accept my offer and leave this planet and its people alone."

"Why would I do that? I'll take their life energy." She pointed a translucent finger at the humans crowded behind the Doctor, "And then Time Lord," She let out another raspy chuckle, "I shall take your TARDIS. I will feast on the energy for eons to come."

"I wouldn't do that if I were you. Take our help." River advised with a warning tone.

"That's not the answer I was hoping for. Reconsider." He told the creature and he took a step forwards and pulled out his sonic screwdriver. He buzzed it in her direction and then looked at the readings. "Your ship has suffered extensive damage, life support is the only thing which is keeping you standing, or floating should I say. I'll give you enough power cells to even switch the air conditioning on. You could still leave now."

The Atlai let out another raspy chuckle. Then it launched itself at the Doctor, aiming for the group of humans dressed in yet more French courtier and courtesan apparel. The Doctor took a step back while spreading his arms wide to make sure that no humans were close enough for the Atlai to reach. River pushed a curious footman back through the doorway and then began to root through her bag for her blaster gun. She pulled it out and aimed it at the Atlai.

"No River!" The Doctor said.

"Doctor?" River replied shocked.

"It's energy. It'll be like a Sunday lunch to it." He told her and then backed away as the Atlai continued to move forwards. The Doctor returned his attention to her. "Last chance."

She merely hissed and lunged at his arm, missing it by inches. The Doctor pressed the button on which extended the sonic screwdriver so that it was prepped and ready to be used. "You can still leave. This doesn't have to happen." He repeated.

The Atlai chuckled once more and reached for one of the French courtiers, a young blonde man who stood, stuck to the ground in utter terror. The Doctor pressed down on the sonic screwdriver and it buzzed loudly. There was a sound like glass being scratched as she howled.

"What did you do Doctor?" River asked as she, and the other people in the building, clamped their hands onto their ears in an attempt to drown out the noise.

"Disrupted the wireless link that the Atlai would use to transfer any energy taken from us or the TARDIS." He said as he winced from the sound, using one hand to cover his ear while the other still held onto the sonic screwdriver.

"But, that would mean-" River was abruptly cut off by a frustrated Doctor.

"Yes, I know. By severing the link it means that the energy from the ship's engine that was feeding her is broken too."

The Atlai's howls were quietening and it sagged in the air before them. It began to fade from the translucent silver to a pale silvery mist. It let out another quiet moan before fading out of sight completely. The Doctor switched off the sonic screwdriver and let his hand drop to his side.

He sighed heavily before looking sadly at the spot which was just occupied by the Atlai. "I'm sorry." He whispered to nobody in specific. River patted him on the shoulder before herding any straggling people into the dining hall. She pulled out a small golden sphere from her bag and walked in after them, after slipping on a pair of reflective and slightly modified sunglasses, she closed the large wooden doors behind her. Leaving the Doctor in the hall alone.

She walked out of the dining hall a few moments later and replaced the golden sphere in her bag. "Mass concussion and they won't remember a thing from this evening. Most have fallen in asleep in their soup bowls." She informed him.

He didn't reply as he continued to stare at the spot where the Atlai had been.

River sighed. "You couldn't do anything else. You know what she was going to do." She told him gently.

The Doctor merely sighed again and then clapped his hands together. "Right then. Best get going. Need to find the ship." He rooted through his pockets to find the locator. It hummed and whirred. "Before anyone else does." He muttered darkly. "Humans, the single, most danger-attracting species I have ever stumbled across in my entire life." He said as he strode off up to the front door.

River followed him with a frown. They sent the Atlai's abandoned ship into the Time Vortex to disintegrate slowly and then walked back to the TARDIS.

"So then, River Song, where was it you wanted to be dropped off?" He opened the door and walked over to the console as he pulled up the last inputted coordinates on the monitor. "Those coordinates fine?"

"Sure." She shrugged as she leaned against the side of the console. "Sweetie." She said a moment as he wandered around the console with a rubber hammer dangling from his wrist.

"Hmm?" He said as he whacked a rather timey-wimey looking device which changed from amber to green.

"Don't torment yourself over it. She had to be stopped or she would have sucked the life energy from everyone in that room and then moved on to the rest of the city, let alone the street."

"Hmmm." He hummed, and it sounded like it was in agreement.

"Oh, and remember to pick up the Ponds." She reminded as the TARDIS travelled through the time vortex. They clung onto the console and laughed as it lurched from side to side.

"I almost forgot." He said with a chuckle.

River smirked in reply and then was thrown to the side as the TARDIS landed. The Doctor found himself sprawled on the console and they pulled themselves up to their feet. "I'll see you very soon." She told him with a broad smile. "I remember it like it was yesterday."

"When was it?" The Doctor asked curiously.

"Two months ago."

"Any spoilers?" He tried again.

She shook her head. "You're looking at one." She told him and he frowned in confusion.

"Goodbye River." He called as she walked down the ramp and out of the blue doors.

"See you sometime Doctor." She called back.

* * *

The Doctor picked up the Ponds, as he had been reminded. They lounged in the console room, Amy sat on the railings while Rory sat on the old chair and the Doctor stood before them as he attempted to fix something on the console.

"So, did you like the sightseeing?" The Doctor asked with a grin.

"Yeah, it was fun." Amy said and Rory nodded.

"There was a fountain of tiny-" Rory began telling what to him was the highlight of the trip.

"Crystals." The Doctor finished off, quickly and Amy hopped off the railing and patted him on the shoulder before strolling over to the Doctor.

"And what did you do mister?" She asked inquisitively.

"Not much." He replied. "Went to a party. Did you know that little silk hems on dresses were coming back into fashion in 1897?"

Amy frowned in confusion before glancing at Rory who shrugged. "Really, now that is fascinating. But I think the thing we all want to know is, where are we off to next?" She asked excitedly.

He beamed at the two before pulling round the monitor. "I've got a couple of ideas." He said as he began to type in coordinates.


	28. An Invitation To Dinner

_Hello...so, it's been a while hasn't it. Sorry! But here's the next chapter, very long, but hopefully entertaining. And there's a history lesson in here somewhere too! _

_Prompter: Allebasii  
Prompt: Frankenstein, (Thought I've sorta changed this a bit!) Not really a person put together...)_

_This follows on from the last chapter...though it's two weeks later for the Doctor and two weeks earlier for River. And there was a clue in that last chapter...River: 'you're looking at one.' You'll see! :D _

* * *

An Invitation To Dinner

"So where are we off to next?" River asked as she dumped her coat on the side of the sofa. The Doctor pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket and unfolded it.

"Right well, we've seen the Hanging Gardens of Babylon in 600 BC. Lovely machinery for the circulating water." He said as he read down the list.

"Yes, even more better with a _little tweaking._" She added.

"A little sonic here, and it could last for a thousand years. Seventy feet high, multi levelled gardens with trees that grow on the roof. Brilliant!"

"It didn't stand for that long though. Earthquake."

The Doctor shrugged his shoulders as he crossed it off the list. "Anyway, how about, the Acropolis of Athens? Built for Nebuchadnezzar the Second for his wife Amytis of Media. I visited them quite a while ago, but I could probably wrangle a tour of the place. There's supposed to be a ghost haunting the steps at night." He waggled his eyebrows.

River nodded her head. "Sounds like a plan!"

The Doctor reached over to the zig-zag plotter but then he paused as a crackling sound emanated from his pocket.

"_Hello? Doctor? Can you hear me?" _A woman's voice called and he pulled out a large bright yellow walkie talkie and stared at it. "_Hello?" _

The Doctor pressed the speaker button and spoke cheerfully. "Hello, Doctor speaking."

"_Doctor. I call to invite you back to Egypt. Although, this device is quite strange, I have never seen anything like it made from Egyptian or Roman hands." _The woman replied.

"Okay." The Doctor replied slowly. "Although I'll be bringing a friend with me." He added.

"_Any and all friends of the Doctor are always welcome." _The woman replied.

"See you in a few minutes." He said before dropping the walkie talkie back into his pocket. "Guess where we're going is already decided then."

"Egypt. I've never been there before." River said interested as she leaned over the side to read the monitor as he inputted the coordinates. "40 BC."

"It'd be nice to have dinner. Little bit of relaxing time, away from Amy's questions and Rory's..." The Doctor pointed to his nose and River pursed her lips, unamused. Then she reached over and pressed a button sending the TARDIS spinning through the time vortex to the past, and to ancient history.

"So who was she?" River asked as the TARDIS jerked to the left.

"Cleo." The Doctor replied and River simply stared at him, wanting him to explain made. "Cleopatra VII Thea Philopater. But she calls herself Nea Isis. In your time frame her story was famous by Shakespeare, but described as beautiful, witty and extremely clever. An excellent tactician, don't want to argue with her."

"Anything else?"

"She liked roses..." The Doctor offered but River simply huffed as the TARDIS rocked. She reached for the monitor and then pulled a lever and pressed three buttons in an attempt to stabilise their flight pattern. The Doctor muttered something about 'borring-ers' but River didn't hear anything.

"And the Egyptians?" River asked after the TARDIS stopped rocking so violently.

"Marvellous inventors. Ink and paper, the very first ox-drawn ploughs, sails for their boats, hieroglyphics as system of writing. Not to mention figuring out the three hundred and sixty five day year, right down to the extra quarter of a day."

River tapped into the TARDIS databanks. "Ah, Cleo." She said with an understanding tone.

"What are you doing?" The Doctor asked, trying to pull the monitor so that he could see, but she had pulled it out of his reach.

"She assumed the form of the god Isis." She clicked on the link for more detail on Isis and read the information aloud. "In the Book of the Dead, Isis is described as; She who gives birth to heaven and earth. She who knows the orphan. She who knows the widow spider. She who seeks justice for the poor people. She who seeks shelter for the weak people. She who seeks the righteousness in her people...I'm starting to see why you like her."

"She's not so bad if you met her." The Doctor protested.

"Who? Isis or _Cleo_?"

He scoffed. "Why? Are you jealous?"

River pushed the monitor towards him, it swung on the rim which ran around the time rotor and he had to stop it before it smacked him in the face.

"Sweetie, me, jealous? No, I believe that's you." River scoffed as the TARDIS thrummed as it landed with a small bump. "Handbrake. You don't want it to wander off again." She reminded in a bored tone.

"How does the TARDIS wander off?"

"You'll find out."

He tapped his nose, "Ah, spoilers." He pushed the monitor so that it was between them so that she could see. They stared at the half built pyramids which were just outside of the doors. "I remember when there were only ten." He mused.

"Ten pyramids?"

"No, wonders of the world. Ancient world actually. A bit of split wine on shortlist." He shrugged. "Still, we're here and just look at that!" He waved his hand at the monitor.

They both smiled at the screen and the half built sight outside. "People still wonder how they managed it." River nodded.

"Oh, all sorts of conspiracy theories, aliens, UFO's and levitation beams. None of this is true by the way. Mainly man power from slaves and architects." He informed. "Lots and lots of architects."

* * *

The stepped out of the TARDIS and into the baking hot sunshine. The sand lay still on the ground and there was a warm breeze, feeling the Manue as it does when you open the oven. It pricked their skin but they didn't care, too busy staring at the pyramids in progress with their own eyes.

They towered over them, made of a dusty pale yellow sandstone and built to half of their future standing. History in the making and a popular tourist site for the future. "They stand for millennia." River commented. "I've only ever seen holo-pictures, and they were slowly crumbling from age."

"Well, now their mostly built. Pristine condition." The Doctor noted. They walked up towards them to take a closer look. As they walked over a small sandy hill, they noticed what they couldn't see before. The half built pyramids had been left abandoned by workers who were slaving over a huge hole in the ground nearby. "Now that's a bit odd." The Doctor commented and River nodded.

"I only remember the pyramids being famous. There was no mention about a giant hole. How far down do you think that is?" She wondered as they walked quicker to the edge.

"Maybe around sixty feet, sixty five?" He guessed. "Now I don't remember that being there last time."

Now that they stood by the hole, they could see a procession of workers, some were down at the bottom of the hole, working to make it even deeper and wider. Others were pulling up the dug up sand, and more workers were transporting it away from the dig to a large pile further down the sandy hill. They worked methodically and were under the gaze of a few other workers who seemed to be supervising them.

One of the supervisors noticed the two visitors and walked up quickly. "Who are you both? You're not working, why are you here?" He demanded to know.

The Doctor pulled out his wallet and flashed the psychic paper at the man. "Says here that I'm, the Chief Supervisor of Large Holes, Half Built Pyramids...and Cheese." He paused and shot a confused look to River who stifled a laugh. "Yes, that's me. So, what kind of a large hole is that?" He continued, taking his new and very official title in his stride.

"We have been sanctioned by the High Priestess of the Temple of Isis and her majesty Pharaoh Cleopatra to dig this hole." The man replied quickly as he leaned in to read the psychic paper a little more closely.

The Doctor hastily replaced the wallet back in his pocket. "Right so, this hole is important?" River asked curiously.

"Yes. Extremely." The supervisor asked.

"Very good then. Carry on. Dig, the large hole. I'll see if the office will send you a plaque or something. Might even be a shoe in for the largest hole of the year award. Never know." The Doctor replied as he leaned over the edge of the hole.

"Really?" The supervisor said in astonishment.

"Hmmm, I reckon it beats most of the others. Of course, we'll let you get on with your work." River told him as they waved and walked off a little further. "So Cleo has abandoned the pyramids for a large hole. Nice to see she's got her priorities sorted."

"Now River." The Doctor said, ignoring her last comment. "I think we should go to the palace."

"Which way is it?" She asked him.

"Err, that way." He pointed to the left of them, past the hole and the pyramid. "No, maybe that way?" He lifted up his other arm and pointed to the right.

"Maybe we should ask for directions?" River suggested and he tilted his head from side to side considering it.

"Yeah, maybe."

Two workers were on their way back to the hole after dumping sand on the ever growing pile. They looked exhausted and their tunics were drenched in sweat from working in the sun all day long. They spoke in raspy voices from dry throats. The Doctor and River waited in their path and heard their conversation as they walked closer.

"Maybe they'll be clouds today."

"And maybe my wife will stop nagging." They both laughed at this.

"My arms burn from the sun and my feet are so tired."

"Now _you_ sound like her."

"Just keep moving. We'll have a break soon."

"Maybe we could just stop for a little while now."

"You know you're not going to do that. Besides, if you do then the gods will be angry and your heart will be eaten by Ammit." The workers paused when River and the Doctor waved.

"Hello. I'm the Chief Supervisor for large holes, just like the one you're digging there. I was wondering, which way to the palace?" The Doctor asked as they walked up to the workers.

"That way." One of the workers replied, pointing towards the left.

"See, just the way I said." The Doctor told River.

"Of course." She said without a hint of sarcasm.

"Ok, so back to work then?" The Doctor asked as the workers walked around him, they stared at him as though he didn't have a clue what was going on. "Wouldn't you like a break?"

"When his wife stops nagging." One worker pointed to the other who attempted to swipe him jokily.

"Oh, I'm sure that would happen a lot sooner." The Doctor said waving his hand. Then he turned around and called out to the supervisor. "Hello again. Yes, and I forgot to mention, head office said to inform all work sites of large holes that all workers have to have scheduled breaks every..." He turned back to the two exhausted workers.

"Hour?" One of the workers breathed hopefully.

"Yes, hour." The Doctor called to the supervisor who looked flabbergasted.

"What? But-" He was cut off by River.

"Rules are rules." She told him plainly. Then she and the Doctor turned around and set off for the palace.

* * *

They were shown to the door of the main hall by a servant who excused herself to bring refreshments. A guard standing by the door asked for their names and they told him. He nodded and then pushed open the doors slowly.

"The Doctor and River Song to meet your majesty, Cleopatra VII Thea Philopater." He introduced.

Cleopatra sat on her throne, which was made of stone and gold, carved intricately with hieroglyphics. There were drapes on the wall behind her, acting like netting for curtains for the holes in the wall which were windows. But while the room was probably one of the most fashionable and decorated in the whole of the country, the woman who sat on the throne was by far the reality of so many different interpretations and fables.

She had long black hair, covered by the pharonic headdress of gold circlets like a wig. She was wearing gold earrings, rings, anklets and bracelets and a white cotton long tunic with leather sandals which had been decorated with little gemstones. Her eyes were emphasised even more with thick black eyeliner and she batted her eyelashes at the Doctor. "Doctor? Is that you?" She called from her throne.

The Doctor leaned closer to River and then whispered in her ear. "Play nicely." Then he smiled widely and waved at the woman on the throne. "Ah, Cleo. Allow me to introduce River Song." He said as he stepped up to the throne.

Cleopatra smiled at the two and nodded at the River. "Pleasure to meet you."

"Yes, your majesty." River replied.

Cleopatra waved her hand. "And Doctor, you have changed your face. Yet again."

"How do I look now?" He asked her and River scoffed.

"Young." Cleopatra replied after a pause. "And different."

"Good different or bad different?" He asked suspiciously.

"Good different. You had rather large ears the last time I saw you." Cleopatra said.

The Doctor reached for his ears and felt them. "I suppose, but they were pretty fantastic. I've got a fez now." He announced happily.

"A what?" Cleopatra asked confused.

"You don't want to know." River told her, shaking her head.

The Doctor patted down his pockets and then frowned unhappily. "I think I left it in the TARDIS."

"Ah yes. Shall we have dinner and continue this fascinating conversation." Cleopatra asked before standing up. Another servant pulled back a drape and they walked into a smaller room. Inside, food was laid out onto a long wooden table with seats around it.

"I don't know whether this is a good idea..." The Doctor said quietly to River.

"Why?" She asked as Cleopatra took her seat.

"New mouth, fairly new rules. It doesn't like beans or bacon or apples, or bread and butter." He rattled off the list of foods he knew he didn't like.

"Anything you do like?" River asked as they took their seats opposite the pharaoh.

"Fish fingers and custard." He hissed back before smiling widely at Cleopatra. Servants loaded up her plate and she gestured for the Doctor and River to help themselves. River spooned some food from the closest dishes and the Doctor helped himself to a little bit of everything. He smiled at the cooked fish and then tucked into it, tearing of some bread and chewing.

After they had eaten the table was cleared and replaced with drinks and grapes with bread and honey. The Doctor reached for a glass, took a gulp and then spat it back out. "Still don't like wine." And then deposited it on the table out of reach. "So." He clapped his hands. "What's the problem?"

"Excuse me?" Cleopatra asked as she took a sip of her drink.

"The problem, any issues, something that needs to be fixed?" He asked with slight optimism.

"Down to business I see." Cleopatra smirked.

"Well, no one ever calls to say hello." He replied.

"Neither do you." River commented.

Cleopatra smiled, "No Doctor, there are no problems in Egypt."

The Doctor pouted in reply. "So, all quiet on the western front then. No, no running?" He looked to River. "No chasing?"

"Maybe not this time sweetie." She replied and he picked up a handful of grapes. "For a change." She added.

"Shame." He noted.

The doors to the main room were flung open and hysterical voices emanated from the room. Cleopatra turned to face the guard at the door and he nodded before disappearing behind the curtain. He was back after a few moments.

"There are people to see you your majesty. They say it has the utmost importance." He gave a sideward's glance to her two guests. "Regarding the sightings."

Cleopatra rose from her seat. "I will see them." She said as she walked out of the room as the guard held back the drape for her and the Doctor and River walked out after her. They saw a huddle of workers, male and female, all in various states of distress. Three were covered with splatters of blood a man with dark curly hair had the most heavily soiled tunic.

"Your majesty. Please, we need you to help." One woman said.

"What happened?" The pharaoh asked as she took her seat on her throne.

"Your majesty, we had finished the day's work and left the site when Manu remembered that he had forgotten to leave the magic knots over the hole." She paused with nervousness and then Manu, the one who had the most bloodied clothes, stepped forwards to continue.

"Then I said I would go back to fix my mistake." Manu said slowly. Cleopatra watched him closely and then nodded for him to continue. "They said that they would wait for me." He waved an arm back to the rest of the group. "I went back to the hole, about a five minute walk, and I heard heavy footsteps. Loud. And then a scream." He paused again and swallowed.

"Continue." Cleopatra said, nodding again.

He took a breath in and then carried on retelling his story. "I ran past the pyramids and then came to see the hole. It was untouched and I searched for the person who had screamed. I couldn't see them. And then I considered that I had imagined it. I found the magic knots were I had left them before and I went to place them by the hole...I looked down into the hole and saw someone lying at the bottom, there was blood everywhere, dripping down the sides." He broke off with a shudder of the memory.

"And you didn't see or hear anyone else nearby?" The Doctor asked.

Manu shook his head. "No. It was dark, I couldn't see anyone else. We were the last group to leave after piling the dug up sand away."

"When did you find out?" River asked the rest of the group.

"We heard Manu calling." The woman replied. "Shouting. So we ran back."

"And then we saw the body." Another man finished in a rough voice.

"That's a lot of blood." River noted. "It can't have been an accident."

"What did the body look like?" The Doctor asked and most of the group winced.

Manu replied after a short pause. "The body, the man, he was cut in half."

The Doctor and River shared a look as if to say, 'that doesn't sound good'.

"How does this, tragedy, lead you to believe that it is connected to the sightings?" Cleopatra asked curiously.

Manu put his hand on a younger man, who looked as though he had just grown out of being a boy. He slowly took a few steps forwards. "I saw it...it was huge and...though it was dark, I could still see it..."

"Go on." The Doctor said.

"...a claw." The young man finished off.

* * *

It was the middle of the night, with the stars twinkling brightly in the sky due to there being no clouds. It also meant that there was no atmospheric disruption with the communicator's signal.

"_How is the plan progressing?"_

"It's progressing just fine. These stupid humans. They work hard though. Seventy feet down now, they should reach it soon."

"_And then we shall be rich." _

"That's true brother. I shall see you soon. Is the teleport repaired?"

"_Almost. The computer is reconfiguring, should take another one of those Earth days." _

"That sounds fine. I went on a hunt today. It felt good. A little screaming, but I chased and sliced."

" _I'm glad for you sister. And the monsters?" _

There was a giggle from the voice."Keeping the stupid Earthlings scared silly and digging. I can't wait to return home. I'll call again soon, tell mother that I said hello."

* * *

"And these sightings?" River asked. They group of workers had been taken to a spare room to calm down while Cleopatra, River and the Doctor sat and discussed what had happened. Cleopatra was getting them up to speed with the whole situation that she had been monitoring.

Cleopatra nodded her head. "I assume you have seen the pyramids?" They nodded. "Some of the workers have reported sightings of such a terrible monster. Most are scared to work. There have been three...incidents...deaths, in the past two weeks. The High Priestess of the Temple of Isis has said that it may be the gods. We have tried rituals to call the gods out, yet it has not worked, and then the High Priestess suggested that the gods may be trapped under the sand, so now workers are digging to appease them."

"And which gods?" The Doctor asked casually.

"We are not sure. Although, there have also been sightings of both Ammit and Anubis in the area too. Perhaps you may have more success, that is, if you will help."

"Why not?" He replied with a smile and Cleopatra nodded, pleased.

"Thank you for your help Doctor. Egypt has been blessed with both the gods and the Doctor watching over them." She said pleasantly.

"It's got a pretty good pharaoh too." He commented with a smile, River suppressed the urge to roll her eyes.

"So, I think that we should go back to the pyramids and that extremely large hole. If most of the sightings centred around it, it's the best bet of seeing any monsters." The Doctor decided a moment's thought.

"Or gods." River added. They both made to leave the room when Cleopatra made them stop.

"Wait. I shall come too." She told them.

The Doctor looked from the door to the pharaoh and then back again. "No. You don't know what kind of monster there might be!"

"Call the High Priestess too. She needs to be present too." Cleopatra continued, speaking to her guard who nodded. She acted as if there were no objections to her decision.

"There could be danger, trouble, all sorts." The Doctor protested.

"He's right. It tends to follow him around." River said. "You could get hurt."

"I decide. Whatever is happening is affecting my subjects, and I, being the pharaoh of Egypt am best suited to resolving the problem." She said defiantly and both the Doctor and River conceded.

* * *

Cleopatra and the High Priestess of the Temple of Isis walked ahead. Three guards walked in front of them with swords, shields and one carried a spear. The priestess was a large woman, with long sleek hair, and wore gold rings on her fingers and amulets around her neck. River and the Doctor walked behind and discussed the situation.

"I wonder if this _monster _could be one of their gods." The Doctor said quietly.

"What makes you think that?" River whispered back, both not wanting to be heard by the two Egyptians.

"Well, Anubis and Ammit are the two gods which have had supposed sightings...maybe, oh, I don't know, I could be making this all up, pulling random unconnected points together when they don't fit in, like wrong pieces for a jigsaw puzzle."

"Doesn't make much difference from the usual." River told him.

He looked to the side to see her smiling at him. "Is that so?" River simply shrugged but he let the matter slide, there were more important things happening. "A big hole, a monster with claws, supposed _god_ sightings – but what links them all together?" He asked, mainly to himself, partially to River, and perhaps to thin air too.

"Are there gods?" River asked, just in case.

"No." The Doctor shook his head. Then he checked his watch. "Well, the image or idea of the gods were here. And then they left. A star ship answered their distress call and picked them up. It's been about...five hundred and fifty years."

"So definitely supposed gods." River confirmed.

"Only, don't tell them that." The Doctor pointed out as he tilted his head to the locals.

"Just making sure." She said and he nodded. "So, what about these two supposed gods. Anubis and –"

"Anubis and Ammit. Probably two of the most commonly known Egyptian gods. Anubis is referred to as the god of death. He's though to be the gatekeeper of the underworld too, in very ancient history, he was known to be the absolute ruler of the underworld, but nowadays Anubis is seen as the guide who directs the dead after dying to either their version of heaven or hell." The Doctor explained in hushed tones.

"Well he sounds lovely." River replied.

"He was, has an excellent sense of humour, but loves to play up his serious face. Bit of a drama queen at times." The Doctor said off handedly.

"Really?" River asked, mildly surprised. Then she shook her head. "And the other one, Ammit?"

"Ah, now, Ammit, also known as Ammut. Now she was depicted with the head of a crocodile, the forequarters of a lion and the hindquarters of a hippo. Known as the destroyers of souls and after an Egyptian has had their heart weighed on judgement day, if it's not light enough, Ammit will eat it and they'll be doomed to hell." The Doctor continued.

"No wonder they were scared." River noted.

They had caught up to the rest of the group, and the guards marched ahead so that they could check that the site was safe, they motioned for their pharaoh to stay and wait until they called.

"So, this is where the sightings recorded." Cleopatra informed River and the Doctor who wandered around before swinging around and standing next to the High Priestess, who looked at him with clear distaste.

"Right then Cleo." The Doctor said with a grin as he looked up to the pyramids. Then he pointed to them. "What's going to happen to them? I mean, very good. Architecture looks amazing, and just imagining what they'll look like afterwards. Well, I can just imagine it'll be spectacular."

The High Priestess spoke. "We believe that the gods should be appeased first and foremost before building the pyramids." Cleopatra nodded along. "Your Highness, how do you know this man, who is he to call you _Cleo_?"

"Hello, I'm the Doctor." The Doctor waved. River smiled and introduced herself too.

The High Priestess gave a terse smile. "I am the High Priestess of the Temple of Isis." She told them with a sense of purpose. She sniffed loudly, taking in a deep breath of air and then hummed in impatience. "Perhaps the soldiers are done your majesty." She said before walking off. The pyramids loomed up in front of them and the hole was seen as they walked over a sandy rise.

"She seems, lovely." The Doctor said.

River openly laughed at his face. "She doesn't like you."

"Yeah, it seemed like she was your best friend." He said sarcastically.

Cleopatra stepped in, "Look at you two bickering." She tutted and the two stopped speaking. "Besides, we appear to have a bigger problem. The High Priestess Te Ani is quite stressed, you would understand Doctor. She stepped into the breach after the last High Priestess died, and she had been working very hard to resolve this situation as quickly as possible."

"I'm sure." The Doctor said nodding his head apologetically.

They now stood just a few steps away from the hole. Both the guards stood back, away from them to give them space. The High Priestess bent down and picked up a piece of rope which had knots through it, she inspected it before placing it in her pocket. Cleopatra walked forwards and the Doctor put his arm out to stop her, then he walked towards the edge and peered down the hole.

The body was down there, trails of blood were left on the wall and they could see it shine stickly in the moonlight. The Doctor pulled out a large torch from his pocket and Cleopatra leaned forwards.

"What's that?" She asked.

"A torch." He replied as he switched it on. It cut through the dark of night and illuminated the deep hole. The blood was in trails, slowly dyeing the sand around it to a dark red. "Hold on, there's more blood here." He pointed the torch to the side of the hole next to them and saw spots of bloods over the sand there too.

"So, the man was pushed down." River concluded.

"But why would he be killed in the first place?" Cleopatra asked them, clearly confused.

"Yes..." The Doctor breathed.

There was a loud sound of someone passing wind from behind them. The Doctor turned around to see the High Priestess looking a little sheepish. "Sorry. Perhaps, I may give a suggestion, to what I see, the gods must have demanded a sacrifice. They must be impatient; we have been digging for over two weeks now."

"How could they have killed the man when they are trapped under the sand? After all you are digging them out." River asked. The Doctor and Cleopatra were walking along the side of the hole, looking for any clues. Both the guards were standing sentry by the side of the pyramid.

"Where are you from?" Te Ani asked abruptly.

"Where am I from?" River repeated loud enough for the Doctor to hear.

"We're from...Freedonia. Lovely place. You should visit." He called from the other side of the hole. Measuring across it was around five meters and with a depth of seventy feet. Even if the man had been sliced, the fall would have killed him. The Doctor and Cleo noted that someone must have done this on purpose, therefore it was no accident. It w as murder.

"The gods work in mysterious ways." Te Ani replied to River, scowling openly at the Doctor. "Besides, I have work to do at the temple; a High Priestess has important work to do." She farted loudly again, but this time she didn't apologise, only looked away to the pyramids.

"I'm sure." River replied, not wanting to annoy or anger the woman any further.

Then Te Ani turned back to face her. "I've never heard of a place called Freedonia. And that, thing, the torch. That doesn't seem, normal." She said before a series of farts erupted from her.

"It's far away. The Doctor likes to travel." River told her, wrinkling her nose at the nasty smell.

"The Doctor. I believe..." She broke off as there were two cries. They all turned around to see where they were coming from and Cleopatra called her two guards. There was no reply. The Doctor swung the torch around to where they were standing and there was no one there.

"Hello!" He called, moving around the edge of the hole, but there was no reply. "Hello? Guards? Cleo's guards?" Still no reply. He turned around to the three women. Then he pulled out his sonic screwdriver. It flickered with green light as he pointed it in all directions, scanning. It buzzed weakly and he fiddled with it before whacking it with his palm.

"Use the red settings." River called out hopefully. Te Ani was slowly moving away from the group and towards the pyramid.

"What red settings?" He called before the sonic screwdriver buzzed loudly. He waved it around and then pulled it up close to read the findings. "There's three life forms here. Not human." He called and River quirked an eyebrow. "Three." He repeated, and she nodded, knowing that it didn't include her or him.

"The guards?" She asked. He shook his head. "Oh."

Te Ani farted loudly again and it caught their attention. "I don't think you should go that way." The Doctor called out to her. She turned around to face him. The gold necklaces around her neck glinted in the bright torch light.

The sonic buzzed loudly and he whacked it again. River looked at him pointedly. "There are no red settings!" He told her and she sighed, before taking it off him. She pointed to a small red button on the side.

"Red button." She said. "For the red settings." Then she pulled out her scanner and pointed the sonic screwdriver at it, downloading the data from the scans. It showed three dots and the plan of the pyramid. "Right, so there's three non-human life forms here."

"Te Ani! Come back!" The Doctor called as the three spots were all in the area just behind here. He pointed the torch at her as River pocked her scanner. He adjusted the light and increased the brightness, dousing the woman and the base on the pyramid in light. "They're right behind you!"

Cleopatra also noticed the gravity of the situation. "I order you to come back Te Ani." She called. But Te Ani smiled at them before stepping backwards twice.

"Don't do this. They aren't what you think they are. They've killed before, they'll do it again!" The Doctor told her seriously.

Te Ani laughed, and it sounded like a cross between a burble and a giggle. "Oh, I don't think so. Doctor."

There were two shadowy figures which stepped out from behind the side of the pyramid, next to the side of the piles of heaped sand. "Guards. Bring back Te Ani. It's not safe." Cleopatra called out to them. They didn't acknowledge her orders.

"Something's not right." River whispered. The Doctor nodded.

"The Doctor." Te Ani chuckled, before farting once more. "I've heard of your name before."

"Have you now?" He asked as he leant forwards. He flicked his sonic out and scanned the hole. "From which newspaper, or is it papyrus-paper? Mind, you don't want to believe everything you hear."

"You're the Oncoming Storm. Like the Eternal Night when you rage on civilisations."

"Ah, well, see, I think that's a bit of a biased view." He said, hardly abashed.

"Where did you hear this then?" River asked.

Te Ani burbled again. "And you. A friendly traveller I think not. River Song. But you're not nearly as lovely as your name sounds. Water can be extremely destructive. Yet, the River Nile here, just over that way," She pointed backwards, "means that this land is liveable."

"Just come this way." The Doctor said as he stretched out a hand, motioning her to move forwards and away from the shadows.

"I don't think so Time Lord." Te Ani replied.

"How do you know this?" River asked.

"I can smell it. Smell you. You're not human. I've got a very special nose for that sort of thing." Te Ani said.

"Cleo, River. I think you should come this way." The Doctor said quietly. Cleopatra walked towards him, and River continued to glare at the High Priestess.

"I think that it won't make any difference." Te Ani said and then farted again. She clicked her fingers. The two shadowy figures walked out into the torchlight. "Have you met my boys?"

Cleopatra gasped and River took a step back while the Doctor stared. Out from the shadows, what they thought were guards were not. One had the legs of man but the face of black dog, the other had the face of a crocodile, the hindquarters of a hippo and the forequarters of a lion. They were the two creatures that had been sighted, what the Egyptians had believed to be Anubis and Ammit. But they weren't, they were creatures that had been assembled, part by part. Animal part.

"Oooh. Now your highness, don't you think I'm a very good High Priestess, calling up your gods. But, actually I didn't do that." Te Ani paused before farting again. "I made them. Now what does that make me?"

The Doctor replied. "Someone who has their fingers in all the pies."

Te Ani burbled. "Now that's not fair, you must know that I am a large woman, yet you should never poke fun like that. I may be offended."

"Offended?" River scoffed as she backed towards the Doctor who was rummaging through his pockets.

"Offended, or angry." Te Ani snarled. She clicked her fingers again and her animal-monsters walked forwards in a measured pace, like they were stalking them.

"Found it!" The Doctor announced as he pulled out two little blue blocks. He sat down on the edge of the hole, his feet dangling over the edge as he attached them to his black boots. The blue blocks quickly unfolded, covering the soles completely. Then they hummed and glowed. "Right then. Won't be long. Just need to see something." He said as he pushed himself off the side of the hole.

"Doctor!" Cleopatra called in alarm and River quickly returned her attention to the approaching monsters.

There was a loud thump from the bottom of the hole. He had landed. "I'm fine. I'll be up in a minute." He called casually.

"And meanwhile..." River waved her hand at the snarling dog and the crocodile with sharp teeth and paws with sharp claws.

"What do we do?" Cleopatra asked her. "We can't fight them. They killed the guards, they have claws and teeth. We have no weapons."

River chuckled. "You might not." She dipped her hand into her pocket and pulled out a small gun. "I do." She aimed at the crocodile-hippo-lion amalgamation and fired a shot. It pulsed blue through the air and then hit it squarely on the chest. It groaned and then collapsed, snout first onto the sand.

"How can you do that?" Cleopatra asked with wide eyes.

"It's a gun." River replied as she aimed and fired at the snarling dog. It too collapsed and then Te Ani hissed at them.

"No matter, I can get rid of you." She put her hands up to her fringe and then there was a small metallic zip between her fingers. She burbled and then farted again as she pulled the zip across her forehead. Moments later the flappy skin was pushed off and a green Slitheen stood in front of them. "Ah, it feels good to out of that tight suit. Masquerading as a human." The green alien shuddered and then farted nosily.

Cleopatra screamed loudly and poked River on her shoulder, "Use that, use the gun." River aimed and pulled the trigger. There was no shot or blue pulse. She shook it and then fired again.

"No battery left, needs to charge." She replied slowly.

"What does that mean?" Cleo asked with wide panicked eyes.

She took the pharaoh by the arm and then pulled her along the side of the hole. "Doctor? You finished?"

"Almost." He called up and they could hear the whirring from the sonic screwdriver. "Ah, you beauty. Yes you are." He said to himself.

"Doctor. You need to get up here now." River called.

* * *

The Doctor attached the GraviBlocks to his boots and watched as they unfolded across them, coating them in a thin blue layer. He felt them switch on and hum, tickling his feet. "Hmm. I wonder." And then he pushed himself off the side of the hole. He fell through the arm, arms failing and suppressed the urge to yell '_wheeeeeeeeee!' _

He straightened his legs out and then his descent slowed slightly, the GraviBlocks working to reduce the effects of gravity. He landed with a soft thump and stood up, straightening his tie out and brushing sand off his trousers. He saw the body lying beside him and sighed before pulling his sonic screwdriver out of his pocket. He scanned the walls of the hole and then the floor. The humming of the sonic screwdriver became higher and higher in pitch until it whirred noisily.

"Gotcha." He said to himself and then began to resonate the sand. He used setting 47327H so that the sand held its pattern, that being a wall of sand, but then he stuck his hand into the wall. The sand parted and it felt scratchy alongside his skin but he searched around before his hand hit something not so scratchy. It was smooth and felt like metal and he changed the setting from 47327H to 47327G so that he could push the sand away, like snow and it clumped together as the sonic screwdriver increased the sand's electron magneticness.

He saw that the walls of the hole were tinged with a blue kind of light. "Oooh, that's not good." He said out loud. Even though no one could hear him. He pushed more sand outside until he had cleared a Time Lord sized space in the sand so that he could see the metal clearly. "Aren't you a long way from home."

It was part of the side of a Strihand Cruiser. Galaxy class with twelve fission engines that ran on Uiine fuel, and it had eco options. But it was crashed, partly damaged and had one thing which was worth digging a huge hole using the locals as slaves. He grinned as he pressed his hands against the metal, his sonic screwdriver trapped between his teeth, giving off a green glow. He searched for a slight depression in the side of the ship and then his grin became wider as a square section the size of his hands sunk into the ship and slide to the left. There were wires and tubing randomly tangled up together inside. He stuck his hand in and rooted around, trying to find the thing he was looking for.

River called down to him. "Doctor? You finished?"

"Almost." He called back as his hand grasped around the thing he was searching for. He twisted and then pulled out the small, cylindrical purple glowing tube. "Ah, you beauty. Yes you are." And he twisted it in his hands. And worth the price of a small ship itself. It was the weapons core of the ship, any and all commands needed to set off the weapons had to be routed through this small tube, and now that it was disconnected the Slitheen wouldn't have what it came for. Or she wouldn't be able to harm anyone in the vicinity. He placed it in his inside pocket and patted it.

He took out his sonic from his mouth and pointed it at his boots. The GraviBlocks were boosted to 893% of their efficiency and he rocketed up the tunnel, leaning forwards before they cut off. He flew up in an arc and then landed on the sand, a few feet away from the hole, on his face.

"Hello River. Cleo." He stood up shakily and then nodded his head at them. He teetered forwards before waving at the Slitheen. "Hello you. Not one to be rude me. I was like that, before. Not now."

The Slitheen burbled angrily before stalking forwards, claws ready to slice. The alien reached the side of the hole and both River and Cleo backed away. "Doctor, have you got a plan?" River asked.

"A plan. That's something important. You'd think something like that would be at the tippty-top of my mind. Right here." He pointed to his forehead. "But, I don't think it is." He took both women by their shoulders and tugged them around the hole as the Slitheen mirrored their movements. Eventually they were the ones with their backs to the pyramid and the Slitheen stared at them with large beady black eyes.

"Ah, the Doctor." The Slitheen pointed a yellowed claw at him. "There won't be a doctor to fix you up after I've finished with you."

"Right then. You know what to do." He patted River on the shoulder and she nodded her head. "And your majesty, I've said to old Queen Vicky too, she wasn't very amused but...RUN!" They turned on the spot and legged it back. He raced ahead and River pulled along Cleo. The Doctor pulled out his handy sonic screwdriver and sweeped it across horizontally through the air. "Door!" He shouted and they ran through the entrance into the pyramid and into the darkness.

* * *

The Slitheen saw them running and noted that the hole was too large to jump across, so instead she ran around the side and chased after them as they ran into the pyramid. She could hear their footsteps, heavy and loud on the sand floors. Their scent left an invisible trail in the stale, unmoving air. She farted loudly and then sank into a crouch. The hunt was on.

* * *

They raced down the sandy corridor that sloped down into the ground, below the surface. As they ran the Doctor kept scanning for an exit, lighting up the corridor with dim green light. "Doctor. What was that?" Cleopatra asked.

"Slitheen." River said.

"And what is a Slitheen?" The pharaoh quizzed.

"Do we have to do this now?" The Doctor asked breathlessly. "There must be an exit here somewhere."

Cleopatra shook her head. "No, this leads to the burial chamber."

"Right." He said as he exhaled. "No exit."

"One exit." River corrected.

"That's blocked by a Slitheen." He reminded.

"Which is?" Cleopatra asked.

"Oh, give me a minute." The Doctor told her. "Your majesty." He tacked on and she nodded as they heard the thumping footfalls of the alien further up the corridor. They ran into the chamber at the end of the tunnel and then stopped to catch their breath back. "Right. Slitheen." He nodded. "You know that I'm different your majesty." He began.

"Yes, you are in favour of the gods. You can change your face Doctor." Cleopatra nodded her head.

"Yes, I'm...different. But I'm also from somewhere far away." He sighed. "Very far away. My planet used to be among the stars. Do you understand that?"

"I think so. Continue." She said with a frown.

"Doctor, the Slitheen. It's getting closer." River warned as she stepped away from the entrance, she searched for a spear or a sword but there wasn't one. This pyramid was only half built and therefore only stocked with the bare essentials. There were a few jars in the corner of the room, a large flat stone on which a mummy would be rested, but there was no body or any jewels or treasures that the pyramids had been so famous for containing.

"Continuing. The Slitheen are also from the stars. Though, they're not like me. They're more different, as you can see, green, a bit smelly. And they are scavengers. They used you Cleo. You and your people. She killed your old High Priestess and then took her place to use you to dig the hole." He watched her as her face fell.

"Why?" She muttered.

"There was a sky ship, a spaceship, and it crashed, like a ship on the water which lands on rocks. It's broken and badly damaged beyond repair, but it has weapons. Terrible weapons. The Slitheen wants them."

"Weapons?" Cleopatra asked.

"Very dangerous ones. The whole of the Roman and Egyptian empires could be wiped out with just one." The Doctor explained cautiously as the pharaoh watched him with wary eyes. "So I took the part of it that makes it work."

"Good." Cleopatra said with a frown.

He pulled it out of his pocket and waved it before her nose. "I got it here." They all looked to the door. "And she's coming for it."

"Fight back then Doctor." Cleopatra told him.

He sighed. "I don't know how." He leaned against the wall and twirled the purple glowing tube in his fingers. "If I give it to her, she sells it off to the highest bidder, and that could be anyone. The Sontarans, Rutans, Hopni, anyone."

"So don't give it to her." River told him.

"But if I don't then she'll kill us all. You're the pharaoh of Egypt. It's not your time to die." He looked a Cleopatra.

"And it's not your either." River pointed out to him.

He stared at her. _Not yours too._ He thought. Then he clapped his hands. "Ok, so what have we got to work with? There's something there's always got to be something." He said hurriedly.

"Do this Slitheen have any weaknesses?" Cleopatra asked.

"Oh, you're so clever Cleo!" He exclaimed, smiling at her. Then he twirled on the spot, looking around the large, but fairly empty chamber. "Clever clever Cleo."

"He means yes." River said to her. "Vinegar!"

"Oh, you're clever." He ran over to the jars and began to lift the lids. "No, no, no." He reached the last one and then shouted. "NO!"

"What's wrong?" River asked and then Cleo looked at her for an explanation. "The Slitheen are a calcium based life form. Add acetic acid into the mix and..." She trailed off as the doorway shook. Sand drifted slowly to the floor. "...Boom." She carried on, finishing off the explanation.

"Pickled eggs would do fine." The Doctor muttered to himself. "Pickled onions. Gherkin. They're all pickled. And tangy...don't think I'd like it. Then again, I thought I'd like apples. Maybe I should have chips with vinegar." He said as he pushed his floppy fringe back.

"Focus Doctor." River chided.

"Pickled." He continued rambling. And then his voice rose in pitch. "Pickled. Pickled." Then he smacked his forehead with his hand. "Oh, now why didn't I think of that before?" He cried as the Slitheen crashed through the doorway.

"Look what I've found." The green alien sing-songed and her claws stretched out for them, her bulbous head brushed the top of the doorway and she sank into a crouch again. River and Cleopatra backed up against the wall on the other side of the chamber while the Doctor ran back over to the jars. He lifted the lids again and sniffed at each one.

"Yes." He whispered triumphantly as he picked up one of the larger ones and staggered to the far wall, putting himself before his friends and the Slitheen. "I'm not giving it to you." He told the Slitheen defiantly.

"That doesn't matter." She gurgled, her yellowed claw reaching towards his floppy fringe. The Doctor leaned back. "Giving, taking. I'll have it in the end. But now it's your end. An untimely death for the Time Lord." She gave another gurgle.

"Your choice. You can leave now. You don't have to kill. I will stop you." The Doctor said seriously, but calmly.

"Just go. Your decision." River said. "You don't have to kill for a profit."

"Hand over the weapons command cylinder and maybe I'll kill just you. I'll let your friends go free. Star Troops honour." The Slitheen said, her black shiny eyes narrowed.

"Your choice. Leave. Or I will have to stop you." The Doctor repeated.

The Slitheen hissed at them and then swiped her claw, barely missing Cleopatra's arm. She didn't get another chance. The Doctor chucked the liquid contents of the jar over her and then dragged the two women behind the table as the Slitheen farted loudly twice. Then there was a hissing sound. River peeked over the top of the stone table and then gasped to see what was happening.

The Slitheen was smoking, faint wisps of misty smoke circled around her. She glared at them as they hid behind and then a rumbling sound emanated from the alien as the liquid reacted with the calcium in her cells. "You." She hissed angrily. And then exploded. Green tissue and sludge splattered across the whole of the burial chamber. It smeared across the walls and dripped lazily down.

Cleopatra was the first to her feet, laughing nervously as the fright and shock slowly wore off. "What did you do to her?"

"Natron." He replied as he checked himself over for any Slitheen sludge. "Pickled." He said as he twisted around on the spot. "You both ok?"

They both nodded. "Natron?" River asked as they walked out of the burial chamber and up the corridor, back outside.

"Natron is what the Egyptians use to mummify their dead. Maybe Cleo would like to explain?" He waved a hand to her and she smirked at him.

"Natron is use to dry out the body of the deceased. After the internal organs are taken out and placed in jars, brain, heart, liver, the body is wrapped with bandages and natron is used to preserve the body." Cleopatra informed River who nodded.

"Right, so when it came into contact with the Slitheen...it dehydrated at an accelerated rate." River said.

"And BOOM!" The Doctor said, throwing his arms out as they reached the entrance, or exit, of the pyramid.

* * *

They continued to talk as they escorted Cleopatra back to the palace. The Doctor walked behind them as he fiddled with the weapons command cylinder, trying to deactivate it. Cleopatra and River walked slightly ahead, trekking through the sand.

"So, the Slitheen...why was he looking for vinegar?" Cleopatra asked curiously.

"Vinegar makes a bigger boom, basically. It would have dissolved the Slitheen more quickly. It's a very strong acid." River explained. The pharaoh was silent for a few moments before asking the question she had been wondering about since she had seen the two enter her room.

"Are you and the Doctor, married?"

"No." River replied with a smirk.

"Do you think you will be?"

"Perhaps...spoilers."

"Spoilers. And that vinegar one River." The Doctor tutted and shook his head as he caught up to them.

"What?" River asked and he studied her face closely before deeming that she didn't actually know the spoiler she had just given away.

"I'll tell you later." He said.

They had reached the palace doors now and guards were coming down to greet their ruler. "Besides, Cleo's always wanted to bag me...although; I think you'll find someone who'll shower you with roses pretty soon." The Doctor continued on. Cleo nodded seriously before laughing at him. "Well then Cleo. It was nice to see you again." He said as he bowed ungracefully. She laughed at him again and River chuckled from behind.

River bowed too and Cleo smiled at them both. "It was a pleasure to meet you River Song. Even if the situation was not."

"Likewise." River commented.

"Perhaps next time I shall invite you to dinner, and only dinner with that strange device of yours." Cleopatra told them.

"That'll be the day." The Doctor replied with a grin and then he and River set off for the little blue box which was parked over a sandy hill and by a half built pyramid.

* * *

"So, you've seen the pyramids." The Doctor said as he dumped his tweed jacket on the chair.

"And Cleo." River added.

"And Cleo. Where do you want to go next?" He asked.

"Have a look on the list." She said with a smile and he pulled out the list.

"So...the Hanging Gardens, check. The pyramids, check. Next on the list is the Acropolis of Athens then!"

He began to wander around the console, looking as though he was randomly flicking switches and twiddling things but it was actually what was needed. River stabilised the TARDIS as it took off so that it didn't lurch from side to side. The Doctor scowled but didn't say anything. He knew that there was no point and she smirked to herself, knowing that he was learning.

"What was it then?" She asked after a little while, the TARDIS was set on cruise control and he was sitting in his harness rummaging through the G trunk in the attic. She sat on the chair and leaned down to look at him through the see through floor-ceiling.

"What was what?" He asked as he picked up a Gjdhs-Booo and spun it around before chucking it over his shoulder.

"You said that I gave Cleo a spoiler. What was it?"

"Oh, not really a spoiler because you didn't know. But sort of a spoiler because someone had to give her the idea...see, there's lot of unverifiable stories about Cleo, all throughout history. And one the best known ones was that in 41BC she dined with Marc Antony and bet that she could spend ten million sesterces on a dinner. He told her to go for it."

River whistled, "That's a lot of money, isn't it."

The Doctor nodded as he continued to rummage through the trunk. "So then the next night, she had him round for dinner, a normal dinner, nothing spectacular and then he made the mistake of ridiculing her. Cleo ordered her second course. A single cup of strong vinegar."

"Right..."

"Then she took out her priceless pearl earring and dropping it into the cup." The Doctor continued.

"The vinegar dissolved the pearl, because it made of calcium carbonate." River said as she understood.

"And then she drank it." The Doctor finished the story.

River laughed and nodded. "I see it now."

"Do you?" He asked as he swung around on the harness, looking at the mess on the floor quite hopefully.

"No, not what you're looking for sweetie." She replied as she glanced over to the monitor. The TARDIS beeped twice signalling that it had landed. "We've parked." She stood up from the sofa and pulled the handbrake up so that the TARDIS wouldn't wander off if it was caught in time eddies or ripples.

"Found it!" He cried as he pulled out a pair of very large, green tinted sunglasses. "Ready for some Mediterranean sun?" He asked as they raced both raced to open the doors first.

* * *

_Hope you liked and I hope you review :D _

_More chapters to follow very soon. I just really wanted this one to follow on from the last one! :D_


	29. Unwritten Time

_So, I watched Big Bang 2 again! I love iPlayer... and then the bit at the end felt like it fit in here for River's POV...so here you go... :D _

_

* * *

_

Unwritten Time

River stood by the windows of the Leadworth church and watched as her diary was picked up by Rory and waved in Amy's face across the other side of the room. She held her breath for a few seconds and then sighed in relief as realisation dawned in Amy Pond's eyes. _"Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue." _And it was the bluest of blue. Just beautiful. River turned away from the window and walked across the grass before sitting down on a weathered wooden bench.

She smiled as her hazy murky memories became vivid and colourful moments again. The Doctor, in the TARDIS, was written back into time. Back into her own timeline. She stayed there for some time, just sitting on the bench and thought about the situation. How some points in time stood so strong and unwavering no matter what anyone tried to do. And how others were so fragile, like cobwebs in a strong breeze, easily broken and rearranged.

After some time River had ended up outside the TARDIS. "Did you dance? You always dance at weddings." And the Doctor had passed over her diary laughing after a few questions which could be seen as awkward but more like as always, spoilers. And she had answered him the best she could. Married, or would he like to marry. She had said "Yes," and he just half smiled back.

Sometimes River wondered if there were too many spoilers in the world. But then if they weren't, how would they know what to choose, what would give them a little nudge in the right direction, or the path that needed to be travelled down no matter the consequences. That phrase had tainted her life from the moment she had heard it, and she would never be able to tell if it was a good thing or a bad thing. And neither would the Doctor. They would never change what happened, simply because it had.

"I'll see you again, very soon. And I'm sorry, but that's when everything changes." She smiled at him. And afterwards she wondered whether he had looked through the little blue book, because how else would he have known that the writing was back?

She had been beyond furious when he had strapped himself into the Pandorica and flown into the heart of his exploding TARDIS. She was a complicated point in time and space, just like him, but he hadn't given her the chance. Not even the chance of their future. Just a "_Geronimo!"_ and then time as it was meant to be.

Except it wasn't. Not without him. And while he watched his life rewind before sitting back in his prison in the blackness of nothing, never to have ever existed, she had been in nothingness too what with their lives being too entangled. Drifting through her life as she walked from moment to moment. Their time had never happened, he had never met her, not properly anyway. They had not laughed together, cried together, ran together. There was nothing, because that time never existed because he never had either. So it had been a surprise for her when she had ended up outside a little church in a nondescript town on earth, out of all the places and times that she had lived in.

She had debated for a little while before deciding on giving the Pond's a wedding present. After all, spoilers were spoilers, whether they were hers, or the happy couple's. Even if they couldn't remember him, it seemed fitting that the Girl Who Waited and the Boy Who Waited should deserve this remnant from a time that could've been, should've been.

And then clever, brilliant, bright Amy Pond stood up and called her Raggedy Doctor back. Shouted out that he was late for her wedding. River knew then that everything was right again. That the Doctor had a plan tucked up one of his tweed sleeves, or folded up in his bowtie. He hadn't given up on them, his future selves, his own future, or her. And there was so much to come. The darkest days and the brightest shining hours with everything in between.

She had apologised in advance for what would happen next and then pressed the teleport button on her vortex manipulator, glad to know that the future was still there, ready to be lived.

* * *

_Reviews are always appreciated! :D _


	30. A Chance Encounter AU

_Hello! So, this is totally, utterly and completely in the AU category! Ramon-Tiva-TenRiv, ...this is what I meant when I said little River! :D Sanguine Ink,...maybe this works as part of the backstory...just a smidge :D_

_So this is somewhere along 11 timeline bit and at the start of their meetings so River doesn't really know him. _

_30th chapter everyone! :D _

* * *

A Chance Encounter

In the back of her mind, River felt like she recognised this madman in the blue box with the bowtie. Him with his jacket and that ridiculous hat. It made her feel a sense of déjà vu, or something along those lines. As she stood across the console with the time rotor spinning up and down as they travelled to a new place River struggled to remember, sifting through past memories. Then they landed with a jarring thump, and her mouth dropped open simultaneously as she realised. He raced out of the door with a quick, "Come on River, places to go, people to see." She continued to stare at the spot he had occupied as she remembered of the last time she had seen him.

Then she raced out of the TARDIS doors after him . "Doctor!" She shouted and he paused at the street corner. "I remember. I remember you." She poked his shoulder and he stared back at her before nodding.

"Right." He said haltingly.

"How did that happen? You can't have...you said so yourself...crossing timelines...they weren't meant to be crossed, not so far back anyway. Were they?" She asked, confused.

He shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. I didn't plan it. It was more like a chance encounter. One with a ridiculously high improbability."

River nodded slowly, partly understanding it. "So you didn't...not on purpose?"

He shook his head. "No. When I found out I did what I always do." He smiled wistfully as he remembered."I ran."

* * *

The Doctor had parked the TARDIS. He had set the TARDIS to search for coordinates to some where quiet, peaceful and sparsely populated. So he had ended up in a small park on some planet, at some time. He didn't even bother to look at the coordinates. Just strolled out. Amy was asleep in her room, maybe dreaming of Rory, maybe not. He didn't know, or want to know. But he did know it was his fault that she didn't remember. And now he was stuck in a dilemma. To tell or not to tell. Hamlet had nothing on that, and the Prince of Denmark only pretended that he was mad.

He exited the TARDIS and stepped outside, the weather was mild, the deep blue sky cloudless and the two burgundy suns shone on his face. He looked across the park and no one was there, just him alone. The way he preferred. There were swings and slides, a see-saw and a climbing frame. There was a bench too, but he found himself drawn to the swings. The grass had been dyed multicoloured in patches, and the patch which the swings were on were a deep red. So he sat down on the creaking swing and stared at it. He pushed his feet against the ground, and the swing creaked as he swung.

"What's that?" A little girl asked and his head snapped up. She looked about seven and had bushy blonde hair and wide brown eyes. She was pointing to the hat perched on his head. She stood by the side of the swings and then sat down in the one nest to him, kicking her feet so that she swung along too.

"It's a fez. Fezzes are cool." He replied automatically with a half hearted grin, he had kept telling that to Amy but she had only laughed at him.

"If you say so." The little girl told him with a shrug. She started humming as she swung higher and then dug her feet into the ground so that she stopped sharply. "You look sad." She stated.

The Doctor looked up from the grass. "Do I?" He asked. "No, I'm fine."

"I think you're lying." She said casually. "Do you have a problem? I'm good at fixing problems." She said with a smile.

"A problem." He repeated with a chuckle. "I guess so, a friend problem." He looked to the ground and then back at her. "Yeah, a fairly big problem."

"Go on." She said encouragingly, rocking the swing backwards and forwards and kicking her feet in time.

"I have a friend who has a problem." The Doctor started. "And he doesn't know what to do. See, he's got a friend, and his friend, she's forgotten something, so very very important. She's supposed to know this...thing, and the friend knows too, but he isn't sure whether to tell her or not."

"Why?" The little girl asked.

"Because if I, I mean he tells her, then it would make her very sad. Besides, he's not even sure if the thing that she's supposed to remember can be fixed."

"Is it important?"

"Very." The Doctor replied. "If she was supposed to remember and doesn't because she forgot, should he tell her? You know, hypothetically speaking." He tacked on at the end quickly.

The little girl swung for a moment as she thought. "If it was so important, you'd think she would remember anyway." She said after a moment. The Doctor let out a shaky chuckle.

"Yeah. She should. But sometimes things don't work out that way." He told her.

"No, sometimes things work out just fine in the end." The little girl told him seriously.

"Wise words." The Doctor said as he nodded his head thoughtfully. "Who told you that?"

"A really good friend of mine." The little girl replied as she started to swing higher.

"Sounds clever. Well, thanks for your advice, I'll keep that in mind." He said a little more brightly than before.

"I'm River Song. What's your name?" The little girl asked as she skidded to a halt and hopped off the swing.

The Doctor's face blanched. His mind spluttered for a moment before realising he had to answer. "John. John Smith."

"That's a funny old name." She said as she waved and then ran off to the climbing frame on the patch of pink grass and launched herself on the rope. When she reached it she turned around, but he had disappeared, the swing that he sat on was empty.

The Doctor, as soon as River's back was turned, ran to the TARDIS and slammed into the doors before sonicing them open as quick as he could and then racing in before closing them as shut. He lent on them as he caught his breath back and then processed what had just happened. Then he ran up the ramp to the console and piloted the TARDIS into the time vortex.

A few minutes later Amy's voice sounded down the corridors. "Doctor? We moving? Where we going?" She asked.

_Where are we going? Going anywhere, any when, just not back there. Too complicated. Too weird. Where are we going... _He thought wildly before his mouth dropped open and he blurted out the first thing that came to his mind. "To the Georgian Gardens!" He shouted as the TARDIS whirred and spun through the time vortex to its next destination, years and years away from where it had previously landed.

* * *

_Review please :D _


	31. With Heavy Hearts

_Cheers for all the reviews guys. They make my fanfiction world go around! So...here's another one! Here the Doctor knows River for longer...and it would be...the 15__th__ Doctor. :D _

_

* * *

_

With Heavy Hearts

The Doctor was unsure. He'd felt this feeling before and he knew the consequences of it all too well. Countless times with friends, companions, and others. And each and every time they ended up leaving him for one reason or another. They walked away, ran away, some died, all never to return. Leaving him with a hole in each of his hearts.

With River the matter was even more complex. He knew how she would die, what she would do and words which Kazran Sardick said, once upon a Christmastime ago, "_If you had one last day with your beloved, which day would you choose?" _It had been an accusation at the time, but he understood the complexity if it now, only to wish that he didn't. For the Doctor, most of that sentence didn't apply, but for the bits that did, they left him even more unsure.

He looked over to her, she was flicking through the TARDIS data banks and brushing up on her ancient Faber Castell history for their latest trip. "Just one trip mind." He called out and she nodded her head as she continued to read.

Then he remembered something else which Kazran had said. "_Time can be rewritten. But people cannot." _The Doctor sighed as he fiddled with the tassel on the end of his scarf, Faber Castell was well known for its icy breeze, while he debated some more.

On the one hand, River Song was utterly brilliant and he completely couldn't deny that. And then on the other hand, he knew that after he said goodbye to her for the last time, in her timeline, then he'd be on his own again. Perhaps this time forever.

His mind argued, his hearts thumped behind his ribs, and then she looked up. "Ready to go sweetie?" She asked with a smile.

His decision was made in that instant, and then the words were out of his mouth. "So, after Faber Castell, is there any where else you want to go? I was thinking Felspoon, or maybe..."

River looked up, her face the definition of surprise and shock mixed together. Kazran was right, people couldn't be rewritten, changed or go against themselves, especially not someone so set in their ways for so long, over 950 years of habit. So his two hearts had outweighed and beaten his Time Lord mind. Their story had begun.

* * *

_Their story has begun...thirty odd chapters into this fic! :D _

_Review please..._

_And I'm hoping to do another long mini-episode again very soon! :D _


	32. What They Saw

_Hello :D _

_Thanks to all who have alerted, favourite and reviewed! :D _

_So, the 13th Doctor and a River who hasn't been in the TARDIS for very long :D _

* * *

What They Saw

In his eyes River saw the whole universe from a Time Lords' perspective, throughout time. Of countless battles fought, some won, others lost. Of sights that had to be seen rather than described, some visited with new eyes several times. There were colourful planets that twirled around stars that blazed so bright. Asteroid belts that sparkled with reflected moonlight. Comets, also lonely wanders circled around star systems, spiralling through space leaving a trail of stardust on their paths.

Black holes with maws so wide they could swallow a galaxy whole, stretching out time and light until nothing had any effect. Cold suns that radiated ice. Star ships that sailed across the blackness of unexplored space, going where no one had ever been before, just to see what was there. Of times past, times present and times future. So many people who had done things which tied them into history, writing them down into the history books forever.

It was just so much more. More than incredible, more than amazing, more than brilliant or fantastic or marvellous. It was just impossible, added with a whole heap of magic and dancing across the fine line between plausible and miracle. And she saw it all.

* * *

In her eyes the Doctor saw what _could have_ _been_. Of a life that he had had glimpses of in the past. Not his, but of his friends and companions of past. Though, he had tasted it once, sort of, and other briefly when he became John Smith, the human school teacher in the year 1940. It felt so long ago and that little piece of John which he had kept behind, held onto because he was a person in himself, with that intangible memory he could recognise yet another _could have_ _been_.

It took a few more moments to realise that things were different this time around. He was different too. So why did it have to be a could have been? Why not a _might_ or a _perhaps_? Because this time around things were different and he had a future to end up in, so why not one of this kind? Why not have the quiet life on the slow path? With a house, a proper house with windows and doors, not that there was nothing wrong with the TARDIS. With a family, children, grandchildren...

There was silence in his mind for a while as he tried to come up with an answer. Then the TARDIS juddered, shaking their teeth in their jaws and their stare were broken. River was clinging onto the rail with her nose inches away from the zig-zag plotter. The Doctor had landed face first on the battered old sofa, half hanging off. He recognised that there wasn't an answer.

See, that was the thing with non-linear time lines. One smirk, one smile, a hidden tear and salt stained sleeves, one suppressed laugh or a warning tone. Anything could be hidden in them. And neither would notice until the right time. The wonders of the universe, or the future, made of dreams and laced with the fear of the unknown.

* * *

_Review please! :D _


	33. Page 231

_To Doctor-River, here is the funny :D _

_I wanted to write something a little more light hearted so... _

_Thanks to all who review, alert and favourite, it makes my day when I see an email to tell me about it :D _

_

* * *

_

Ten things to remember for when you meet the Doctor

By Dr River Song

One -The Doctor lies. He's a brilliant genius, but you can't always believe what he'll say to you, no matter how sincere. Most common lie: 'I'm fine.'

Two - One day you'll end up having to trust him with your life. When that day comes, be prepared to run. (Avoid red heels on this day.)

Three - He may insist on wearing ridiculous clothing, i.e. a fez, a Stetson. Do a 'Dalek' on them at all costs.

Four - When the Doctor is in the room, everything and anything must be done so that he stays alive long enough to save everyone. I realise now that this is rule one, after all, what kind of a universe would it be without the Doctor?

Five -There will always be enough time, whatever the situation may seem like.

Six - Don't go making the painful mistake of thinking that you were the first. He has two hearts and no home. You'll meet many other companions and friends along the way. Some will be more easier to get along with than others, the Ponds for example. *

Seven - What you must never ever do is let the Doctor wander off. Try and keep up with him. Trouble follows in his wake and if you stray too far from the eye of the storm you'll be caught up in the clouds of danger and disaster. Neither are very accommodating and it could quite possibly end up with catastrophic results.

Eight - Parked TARDIS minus handbrake equals a wandering TARDIS. A travelling TARDIS plus handbrake equals a dreadful noise. To keep the TARDIS away from time eddies and timefalls and yourself without a headache it's best to keep these matched up properly.

Nine - Banana daiquiris make excellent bribes. (Note: This will not work with any other kind of fruit of vegetable apart from celery when he's feeling a little nostalgic.)

Ten - The rest is spoilers or history, whichever you prefer...

*_see Family. Including Susan and Jenny.  
_Page 231

* * *

_Review please :D _


	34. Back To Before

_Bus, me, bored, long time = this chapter :D And I can't forget to factor in my sister's favourite new song. _

_Song words are in italics and are from Adele's song Someone Like You. Not mine! :D _

_Set after an unspecified time after the whole 'situation'. Doctor is the ninth Doctor and River is somewhere in the middle of her time, (I'm guessing and going by what I've already written) :D _

_I'm totally on a roll! More chapter to follow... :D _

_

* * *

_

Back To Before

_You know how the time flies,  
Only yesterday was the time of our lives,  
We were born and raised in a summer haze,  
Bound by the surprise of our glory days,  
_

River stood on the opposite side of the road. Cars whizzed past and people hurried about their business. She saw the dark blue door swing open and a man with fairly large ears and a black leather jacket poke his head out. She smiled as she saw him look around, then step out and breathe in deeply. "R-" He called out and River stumbled forwards a little, before catching herself.

"Rose!" He called turning around and sticking his head back into the TARDIS to call his current companion out.

"I'm coming!" Rose called back.

"Well hurry up. Things to do, places to go. Grass grows quicker than you walking." He shouted back, half serious but with a mad grin that stretched his mouth and emphasised his ears. Rose Tyler strolled out of the TARDIS, walking slower just to annoy the Doctor further before skipping forwards and linking her arm in his. They wandered off down the promenade and to the tower block behind.

She smiled as she remembered when they were like that. A new planet, a new time, a new place. History in the making and they were there to see it, maybe even save it. That was what they did. They ran under alien, but beautiful skies. They laughed and they had the most brilliant time that anyone could ever had in the history of time. Because that was what it felt like, that nothing could compare and that they'd stay like that forever.

And then _that _had happened. She had tripped over her life, stumbled right down and now she knew that things would never be the same again. That was the thing with definitive words like _forever _and _never._ They can't be put into context, because they aren't relative. And in that sense they can't exist.

* * *

_I hate to turn up out of the blue uninvited,  
But I couldn't stay away, I couldn't fight it,  
I had hoped you'd see my face,  
And that you'd be reminded that for me it isn't over,_

River crossed the road after they had rounded the corner and she walked slowly towards the blue box. She stood in front of it and then walked a little closer, resting her palm on the door. The TARDIS hummed with recognition, but not knowing why.

"You know, I'm not even supposed to be here." She whispered as she stepped closer and the perception field enveloped her so that people wouldn't give her dubious looks. She was referring to the fact that she had escaped from Stormcage, just to see him again. In a time when he wouldn't look at her with accusing, disappointing or angry eyes. She knew wouldn't be able to stand it, so she had effectively ran.

"I know you know me. You just don't know why." River said to the TARDIS and it hummed a little lower in acknowledgement.

"But there's a reason why I'm here and not there." She continued. "After all, I'm not sure I could go back, not to Stormcage, I know I have to go there, but to see him again..."

The TARDIS hummed once more. "I guess I wanted to see him again. At a time when things were...are, just different." She sighed. "And I guess I wanted to see you too. Big blue box full of dreams, a whole life. A wonderful life. So much to come in your, his, future and so much more even after that." River chuckled.

* * *

_Nothing compares,  
No worries or cares,  
Regrets and mistakes, they're memories made,  
Who would have known how bittersweet this would taste?_

River stood there for a few hours, and the people and the cars rushing past lessened in numbers. The sun lowered itself out of the sky and turned it a deep orange. End of the day and the daydream. Something that wouldn't happen for a while when she was back where she was meant to be.

She stood against the TARDIS and recalled some of her most treasured memories. The TARDIS hummed and occasionally whirred. Then she heard the voices, a northern accent and a London accent. Rose and the Doctor. She quickly hid behind the TARDIS and listened to what they were saying.

"So where are we going next?" Rose asked.

"You know, your mum is honestly..." The Doctor continued his rant and then was silenced, quite possibly by Rose's glare. "I was thinking Possidoon."

"What's there?" Rose asked.

"What isn't! You know there's rollercoaster which has antigravity seats." River rolled her eyes as she heard the excitement in his voice.

"I do now." Rose replied and then River heard the door click shut. She stepped back quickly as the TARDIS began to dematerialise, it whirred and thrummed loudly, the sound was music to her ears.

"See you in a while." River whispered as she teleported out with her stolen vortex manipulator back to Stormcage and the guards who immediately surrounded her with guns because she was coded Level Red One. Dangerous and deadly.

"Hi boys! Would you look at that? I'm back. Miss me much?" She said sarcastically as they cuffed her, removed the stolen vortex manipulator and led her back to her cell. She was manoeuvred inside and the door clanged shut as they locked it. Her sentence was life, and she would stay there for the crime that she did. Unless, as the judge declared, 'T_hat you be forgiven for your crime by the victim. Yet, that Dr Song is rather unlikely, wouldn't you agree?'_

* * *

_Review please :D _

_River likes to escape from Stormcage, I liked the way she asked the guard in the Pandorica Opens and then after finding out that he was new, tricks him in the simplest way :D So it must mean she escaped before! :D _

_Review! =)_


	35. Time And Times Again

_So, 6 months of Spoilers, in a linear timeline working chronologically (mostly)...thanks to all who reviewed, favourited, alerted and prompted. _

_On with the show, and I hope this is vaguely funny :D Because normally he's late..._

_The 12th Doctor who knows River for longer than she knows him :D _

_

* * *

_

'_Arriving at the door  
Just to be told that the girl I'm missing has been in London for a while  
No more northern skies for her  
They say she's left a letter up the stair for everyone  
It's pinned against her bedroom door for all the world to see...'  
-Alloway Grove-Paolo Nutini-_

_

* * *

_

Time And Times Again

There was a scrap piece of paper, ripped out from a notebook with scraggly edges, hastily pinned up to the front of her room. Her other flatmates in the corridor wandered up and down and hardly realised that she was gone until dinner. They had ordered take out Ventuian pizza with extra 'roons and sat in the kitchen talking loudly and joking around. Then the girl whose room was opposite decided to call River because she was missing out, but not before telling the others not to take her slice of pizza while she was gone.

She walked down the hallway and then paused as she reached River's door. Then she stared at the little piece of paper before sighing loudly and wandering back to the kitchen. They looked at her expectedly. She shook her head. "Off again." She said as she sat down on the puffy sofa. It wasn't unusual for River Song to disappear whenever, missing lectures, birthdays, weekends. She'd stroll back in with bright eyes and a smile which didn't say much but implied that she had seen the wonders of the universe. Sometimes she'd tell them where she'd been, they always knew that she was off with the Doctor, whoever he was, but most of the time she would say nothing and waltz off to the library to catch up on the work she had missed.

"I get her pizza!" One of the boys shouted and then made to grab the last slice, but was beaten by another one of the flatmates who gave a cackle as he shoved it in his mouth which started them all laughing and giggling.

And further down the empty corridor was the note informing them that River Song was _'off again'_.

'_I've gone with the Doctor! I don't how long it'll be this time...The chocolate in the fridge is mine. I warn you now!'_

* * *

Two days later a man wearing a silver waistcoat and a smile walked down the corridor. He paused at River Song's door and knocked twice. Then he waited. And he waited for a while before frowning and turning around. As he did, he noticed that a girl with long blue hair was hurrying down the corridor.

"Ah, excuse me." He waved her over and she struggled to pull her bag up to her shoulder again.

"Yes?" She asked quickly.

The Doctor pointed to the door. "River Song, is she in? She's supposed to be..."

The girl nodded quickly too. "The note." She pointed to the door and then looked down at the carpet. The scrap of paper was lying on the floor. "Must have fallen." She shrugged, picked it up and then handed it to him. "I'm really really late." She added before racing down the corridor.

"Late?" The Doctor muttered as he read over the note, and his frown turned into a smile. He pocketed the note and then looked at his watch. "No, just a little early." The Doctor strolled back down the corridor.

* * *

Two weeks later the Doctor strolled back up to the corridor, leaned against the door jamb of River's door and knocked three times, then twice and then four times quickly.

"I'm coming, I'm coming!" She called and then the door was pulled open. River stood there, looking a little tired but a smile spread across her face and her eyes brightened as she saw who it was. "Doctor!" She smiled wider. "So what brings you to my side of town?"

"Oh, I remembered that we hadn't gone to Balhoon!" The Doctor said excitedly. "They have rolling hills. Literally. And fluid gravity!"

River smiled and then frowned. "We just went to Leager; you dropped me off five hours ago." She said slowly and he saw that she really was tired.

"Rolling hills. Fluid gravity. Oh, and did I mention that it means you can swim through the air." He dangled that last fact under her nose and saw that she was deliberating. Sleep, or somewhere wonderful.

"Let me get my shoes." She said as she grabbed a pair of old style converses and jammed her feet in them.

He continued to lean against the door. "So, Leager...any good?"

River stood up and linked her arm in his and stuck the note up on her door again before walking down the corridor. "You know the drill."

He nodded in understanding and mimicked her voice. "Spoilers."

"Hey, no mocking our favourite word." She batted his arm as he paused to unlock the TARDIS. "Mind, it's your favourite word, so mock away." She added.

"Is that so?" The Doctor mused on the potential, possible paradox before shutting the TARDIS door behind them as they stepped into the blue box. "Anyway, so Balhoon, rolling fluid gravity fields." He said as he pulled a lever down, sending them off on their next journey.

* * *

_Reviews are cool!_


	36. You Watch Us Run

_I'm bored. I refuse to do my homework, so I'm very unreluctantly taking a 'break'. So...thought I'd try my hand at a drabble :D Let me know what you think :D _

* * *

You Watch Us Run

River had told him with a smile, in the Great Library, '_You watch us run.'_ And he had been intrigued, wondered just how much running they would do. It was only after that he realised just how much running they _did_. Sometimes they were chasing. Sometimes they were the ones being chased. Other times they ran just for the sake of it. More often than not, they ran hand in hand, pulling each other along, one keeping up with the other. Hearts pounded, breathless, grinning like mad and completely exhilarated. And a few times they ran away from each other...

* * *

_?_


	37. Last Of Their Kind AU

_Hello! So, this is...severely AU. Severely. It borders on the very edge of fanfiction right next to the Dark Reading Matter (Jasper Fforde. Read it all. DW is mentioned in Something Rotten... :D ) _

_Right...I was not alive when OldWho graced TVs...I only know NewWho, 9 onwards...so if there are serious discrepancies you can either point them out to me (nicely I hope) or just take it as the AU stuff it is. :D _

_Sort of influenced by the whispered rumours...(if you can do that on the internet) about River being...well...read on! By the way...Wiki does state that she's humanoid. Not actually human... :D _

_11th Doctor, (because he's meant to find out in the next series.) and River knows him for longer... _

* * *

_"Take a chance, watch it fall. _

_Grab too much, lose it all._

_Now I've lost, my disguise, _

_And it's all white lies." _

_White Lies, Paolo Nutini_

* * *

The Last Of Their Kind

"Doctor, tell me what happened." River asked softly as they slowly walked back to the TARDIS. She had her hands stuffed into her pockets, fingers still unfreezing from the coldness of the world outside, and studied his face closely as she frowned.

"There's not much to say. It's gone. Or rather, it'll never be. Any other planet destroyed and the TARDIS can go back to a time when it was not, you can see it in all its splendour, walk the streets with its people. But Gallifrey never rejoined the universe. It's in a time lock. It's a never-was planet." The Doctor explained, tonelessly as he removed his silver waistcoat and tossed it over the side of the console, ignoring the hanger on the railing surrounding the rotor.

"You miss it." River stated as she watched his face, half illuminated in a green glow by the time rotor in the centre of the console.

"Who wouldn't?" The Doctor gave a half smile. "Some days I want nothing more than to forget it all. And then I stop and think, why? Why should I forget? The very last of my kind and I still want to turn and run." He shook his head sadly.

"You were always good at that." She told him with a little nod.

"But it was my fault. I did it. Those other names, The Destroyer of Worlds, Oncoming Storm, The Trickster in the Pandorica. It's true. My fault Gallifrey burned." The Doctor told her while staring straight at the time rotor column.

"How?" She asked as she moved closer to stand next to him. She removed one hand from her pocket and took his.

"I took the Moment." He replied and River let go off his hand. The Doctor turned and looked at her confused. She only stared back at him in shock.

"Moment?" She asked with wide eyes.

"Why...did you?" He asked watching as she stood a little distance away from him, eyes unfocused.

"I..." River answered. "The Moment? You?"

"River?" He asked with a worried tone as he stepped forward.

She took another step back and pulled both hands up to stop him from getting any closer. One hand, with its palm outstretched, the other with its palm clutching tightly to a golden pocket watch which was heavily engraved.

The Doctor's eyes widened. "River...where did you get that?" He asked with a calm voice that was smothering the panic that accompanied with the frantic thumping of his hearts.

"This?" She stared at it, lowering her hands down, which allowed him to step closer. She looked like she was looking at it for the first time. "It's nothing, just a watch. I've always had it." She shook her head. "Moment? Doctor, what is a Moment?" She asked.

The Doctor ignored the question and peered closely at the pocket watch. He looked at it before leaning backwards, without turning around, and scrabbled blindly at the console. His fingers brushed against a smooth metal object and he showed it to her. His silver pocket watch.

"You've got one too?" She asked, still confused. He shook his slowly.

"Part of a Chameleon Arch. I've used it before; it changes Time Lord biology to another's species. Rewrites your whole DNA. Gives you new, false memories." He explained haltingly, searching her eyes for something she couldn't identify.

"What are you saying?" She asked, her fingers tightened around the pocket watch. It glinted in the light from the console.

"Shhhh." He whispered. "Just...listen."

River lifted the watch closer to her ear and breathed shakily as she listened for something. And then she heard it, a soft whisper, full of emotion and secrets of a past not hers. Not fully anyway. _You can open me now. It's time. I'm ready. I don't need to hide anymore. You don't have to hide me._

River stretched her arm out, scared about hearing the voice inside, but nevertheless unwilling to let go off it. Like it was important. Like it was precious. And a part of her. "I don't. I can't." She paused and took in a shaky breath.

The Doctor nodded his head in understanding. "You...you're not who you think you are. I'm sorry River. I really am. But it's your decision. Whatever you decide. You can choose to open it, or to leave it. You are River Song. A person in yourself, and if you want to stay like this you can."

"You've got one too." She said, looking at the silver watch in his hand. He handed it over to her. "Did you ever use it? Become someone else?" She flipped it over to look at it.

"Yes, once before. A long time ago. I was running from the Family. I ran and hid as a human. Became John Smith, a school teacher from Ireland living in 1913 in the English countryside." He told her with a small smile.

"What happened?" She asked, even though she knew what the answer was.

"He had to make a choice. And in the end, John Smith was a better man than I was. So brave. He opened the watch and I was me again. All Time Lord."

She stepped back onto her other foot. "So that's it? I die? I become someone else and..."

"No no." The Doctor said quickly, waving his arms. "No. Because everything John Smith is and ever was, I can be that too. And an old friend, Martha, she told me that what John did, by choosing to open the watch and let me out," he explained. "She said that it was something that the Doctor would do."

"What do you mean by that?"

"The Chameleon Arch changes your biology, and it gives you new memories, but it can't change who you are. Not on the inside, not deep down. Everything thing that River Song is." He twisted the golden watch in her hand around so that the swirls etched on the side could be seen. "It's in you and in whoever's consciousness is in there."

She looked warily at the pocket watch. "It'd change everything." He nodded, not knowing what to say to her. Because it had to be her choice entirely. "Does that mean that I'm...Time Lord?" She asked him.

"You were." He answered.

_You can open me. It's safe. Don't be scared. _The voice inside the watch said, loudly this time. They exchanged a glance. Scared eyes met worried eyes.

"And if I open it, I'll be her again. Whoever she was." She asked for clarification slowly. He nodded. "Another Time Lord. You said you were the last."

"I thought I was." He replied truthfully with a soft chuckle.

"If I open it, you won't be alone anymore." She noted, closing her fingers over the watch. She could feel the consciousness inside. Although she thought that the metal should have been cold, it was warm. Comforting. "You said that there were different Time Lords. That there were some on either side in the war. What if I was on the opposite side to you?" She asked.

"I don't know." He replied.

_Open me. Let me out. It's the right time. Don't be afraid. Your future won't change; the past stays the same too. Mine too. Only I'll be living it again. River Song. All those wonderful things you've done. I'll never forget them, or you. The whole future ahead, one with the Doctor. Because I've ran with him before, just like you. _

That made River's mind up for her. "I'm opening it." She decided. Then smiled. "Doctor. My Doctor. I'm not going anywhere." A tear escaped from the corner of her eye and his mouth opened to say something. "No goodbyes. Don't you dare." She said defiantly and he nodded blankly.

"My River Song." He told her, just watching.

She pressed the button down on the top of the golden pocket watch and it sprung open. Golden light streamed out of it, surrounding her. Her face glowed, bathed in the light and she smiled. The light grew brighter and brighter and then she gasped, reeling from the old memories being reawakened by Time Lord synapses rejoining in her brain. The Doctor stepped back a little so that he wasn't touched by the light. Then it began to fade and the console room got darker, only illuminated by the time rotor once more.

Memories of her past, her real past flashed behind her eyes, inside her mind. She could remember it all. Gallifrey. Red grass and the Citadel of the Time Lords standing in between the mountains. It had been glorious. Her first face, then her second, and her third. She was on her fourth now. Bushy blonde hair and brown eyes. The Council. She had ran with the Doctor for quite some time, and a handful of his faces. She had been the Lady President of Gallifrey. She had banished the Doctor from Gallifrey too.

And then she had thought she'd never see him again. She had had her own troubles to deal with as Lady President. With the Free Time and the danger they had posed. Pandora and her duplicate self who had cause a civil war on the planet. After that she had to step down from her position as Lady President. Gallifrey was on the edge and she hadn't been able to save it. The Free Time virus had seemed like the most dangerous threat to them all. It wasn't.

When the Time War began they fought. And then the War had mutated into something else, so many died, never existed. The terrors of it all. In the end, most had died, and the majority who had survived where going along with the plan to bring the End of Time. She had run at that point. She couldn't have stood against them, her words counted for nothing. So she had ran and then changed into human. Hid herself as someone else. River Song. An archaeologist. Studying time instead of travelling through it. Closest thing she could do.

The golden light faded away completely, only a few seconds had passed and she stood with her eyes unfocused, seeing something that she couldn't before. "River?" The Doctor asked.

She shook her head slowly, before a smile spread across her face. "Romana." She told him and his eyebrows shot up.

"No!" He breathed in surprise.

She laughed in relief. "Yes. Romana. Fourth face. Doctor, It's so good to see you again." She explained, a little stunned. He nodded before laughing along with her. They placed their empty watches on the console and then sat down, Romana on the old armchair and the Doctor on the side of the console.

There was silence for a very long time. Nothing was spoken, but everything was understood. Romana was the first to speak. "Last of the Time Lords." The Doctor nodded. "Did anyone else run?" She asked.

The Doctor nodded again. "Yes. The Master."

Romana nodded her head. "I'm not surprised."

"He had used a Chameleon Arch just like you. Ran all the way to the end of the universe in the year one hundred trillion. He was Professor Yana. So very human. Trying to take the last remaining humans to Utopia." The Doctor said with a small smile.

Romana raised her eyebrows in surprise. "The Master, human?" The Doctor continued to smile and then shook his head. "So, where is he now? I would have thought you'd keep him close by. You were very close when you were young."

"He, sent the Time Lords back into the Time Lock. Stopped Rassilon from the final act of the Time War and the end of Time. Stuck inside." The Doctor said while looking at his feet.

"Then again..." Romana said tilting her head to the side and the Doctor grinned up at her. "So we really are the last." She said sadly as the realisation hit her. The Doctor stood up suddenly and then pulled out his leather wallet from his pocket. He flipped it open and read the message on the psychic paper.

"He was right though. _You are not alone._ I guess he just wasn't specific about it." The Doctor said.

"Who?" She asked him, standing up to read the message.

"The Face of Boe." The Doctor replied. "And I thinking we should pay him a visit."

"I think so too." Romana replied with a grin. She reached over to turn the hot tap around and then pulled a cord twice. "Now, let's see if I can remember this." The Doctor stepped back as she leaned over and her hand hovered over the handbrake. But then she left it on. "I like the sound too sweetie." She said as the time rotor whirred and the engines started up. The TARDIS thrummed and they travelled to a rather large, quite old and fairly famous face for some answers.

* * *

_So...how is it? *~* !_


	38. Changes And Same Old, Same Old

_These 'Type 2 error' messages are haunting me, and coming from a person who's addicted to updates, it's like cold turkey. Not cool. (bowtie context). _

_Anyway... here is the next chapter...sorry for the delay..._

_To I-girl: thank you :D Yep, I got that from wiki. You're right with the Great Leap with humans...being human... :D It'll be interesting to see River's real story. _

* * *

Change

The telltale glow of regeneration energy was lighting up his hands, snaking its way up to his face. "It's going to be fine." River said softly in a calm voice that belied the truth.

"You're sure?" The Doctor asked, his voice was as shaky as she felt. The golden glow had reached his neck.

"Positive," she gave him a quick peck on his now shining cheek and then scrambled back.

* * *

Two weeks later, River Song sat in her room at the tiny desk squashed in the corner and by lamp light flicked through the booklet given by the professor to all those who were going on the 21st century Earth field trip. She was reading up on social contexts when she heard a knock on the door.

"Hello?" Called an impatient voice from behind the door and she sighed as she stood up. She opened the door to see a man, one she had seen several times before, and doubtless, will see several times in the future.

Said man barged his way in, without a smile and then stood, leaning back on her chair as his eyes scanned around her small room. All university students were given small rooms, if they wanted a larger room, they'd have to buy their own, which they didn't have the credits for.

"Hello Doctor." River said with a small smile, but it didn't quite reach her eyes.

"What you doing now?" He asked quite brashly.

"Studying," she replied plainly, half wondering why he was there.

"That's boring. I'm going to the Crohi System." The Doctor said, and she turned away from him when she heard the smugness in his voice.

"Sounds lovely." River said plainly before taking her seat again, flicking the pages backwards and forwards in no logical manner.

"Do you want to come?" He asked tentatively after a short silence.

River turned around to face him. She had heard the slight nervousness in his voice, "Thank you, but, I really do need to study for this," she smiled again, this time it was apologetic.

"Oh. That's fine. I mean, I've changed my mind anyway, not going to go to the Crohi System, I'm going to go to Joson. It's a planet with chemical storms, and once they've dissipated, the whole atmosphere glows. And when there's a storm, the atmosphere catches alight. Something to see."

His eyes were staring off into the distance and then he blinked twice. "But you're busy. Bye," he strolled out of the room without a second look at her. Leaving her sitting there with her mouth open, no time at all to say bye to him either.

* * *

And Same Old, Same Old

Three minutes later, River was propping her head up with both hands, elbows on the desk and eyes scanning the pages, but not really reading the words. She was thinking about the Doctor, the newly regenerated Doctor who seemed to be able to breeze in and out of her life, without even really staying long. They didn't even seem to talk anymore. Like the visits were a throwback from his past self who somehow felt the need to see her, but not any reason to stay or even want her company. He didn't need her. She bit back a laugh which could have been a cry too.

There was a bang, and she jerked in her seat, her head shot up. Her window had been thrown open and a man in jeans and a blue and white striped jacket was attempting to climb in. But his stomach was caught by the window closing again and his legs waved out behind him. The Doctor was stuck. River stared at him, he looked quite flustered, his face was red and his hair was a mess.

"Hello River," he beamed at her, despite the awkward angle his head was tipped at so that he could see her. She burst into laughter, and didn't stop for a while. Eventually, he realised he needed to remind her that he was stuck. "Don't suppose you could give me a hand?"

She nodded, still not able to speak and stood up, pushing the window back so that he wasn't stuck. The Doctor fell into her room and landed with a thump onto the floor.

"How are you?" He asked as he brushed down his clothes, the smile had returned to his face now that he wasn't being crushed by a window.

"Fine," she replied with a smile, glad to see him. "A bit busy. Need to study for a field trip."

He wandered over to her desk and picked up her booklet. "Hmm, nice. Twenty first century Earth. A lovely time to be," he nodded approvingly. "You'll like it."

"Compliments from the time traveller. Must be fun." River commented with a smirk.

The Doctor sniffed the air. "Seen me lately?" He asked curiously.

"Yes, you were here, a few minutes ago."

"Oh. And we didn't run off to some place fascinating?" He asked with his eyebrows raised in surprised.

"Think back, I'm sure you'll remember." River said with a shrug before leaning against her chair, where he had been only minutes before.

The Doctor fell silent, and then his eyes widened a little. "I'm sorry River. That particular regeneration was fairly..." he trailed off, not knowing how to insult himself.

"You were an arrogant sod."

"You've skipped ahead to the colloquiums in that little booklet!" He noted and then nodded his head seriously. "And I think you nailed that personality on the spot," he conceded.

River huffed as she picked up the book. "Why did you keep coming back?"

"Because."

"That's not an answer."

"Because...I felt like I had to see you, but I didn't know why. When I was him...I didn't see you anything more than a past companion. I know, it's ridiculous." The Doctor shook his head sadly. "You're obviously my best friend!"

"Thanks."

He paused before continuing with his explanation. "But, I still felt like I had to stop by every now and again. Just to say hi, to see you. Sounds silly doesn't it. An echo of my past self."

"Or a flashback of the future." River noted.

"That too."

They were both silent for a while, just thinking about it. "So, how long do you think it'd take you to read the rest of that booklet?" The Doctor asked, leaning over to see the page she was on.

"I don't know, maybe about another few hours." River mused as she flicked through the remaining pages.

"When's your little trip?"

"In a week and two days." River replied. "Why, are you thinking of dropping in?" She let out a little chuckle, thinking about the last time that had happened.

The Doctor shook his head. "No, I don't think history could handle that, not after what happened last time," he said quickly. "No, actually, I was thinking wouldn't it be easier if you could have a dry run. You know, test out that booklet before the trip itself. Could be quite informatative." He nodded his head and she grinned at him.

"Informative you say?" She questioned, tilting her head to the side as she pretended to consider it. "Why not? But remember, twenty first century Earth. We're visiting London, England, Europe." She rattled off.

"I know where London is." The Doctor replied, with mock annoyance in his tone.

"Of course you do, only a reminder." River said as she grabbed her jacket.

"Yes, well. That wasn't my fault. The TARDIS had a broken power coupling." The Doctor caught what she actually meant.

"Sure sweetie, whatever you say." River grinned as she checked her pockets. "Right, I'm ready. Although, can we take the stairs?" She sniggered and his lips twitched, trying to hide a smile, but failed as he laughed.

River shut the door behind them as they walked down the corridor and the stairs to the TARDIS, The Doctor began to tell her about London and a couple of Christmas Eve's past, one of which was the one they'd visit. The booklet lay abandoned on the small wooden desk, still bathed in the glow from the lamp light which wouldn't be switched off until a week and a day later.

* * *

_Reviews are cool (bowtie context) :D_


	39. Hat Hit List

_More funny :D _

_River knows the Doctor for longer. 11__th__ Doctor. _

_Thanks to Doctor-River who helped with this chapter!_

_Hat Hit List: In which hats are targeted and disposed off :D _

_

* * *

_

Hat Hit List

River considered herself a stylish woman. She had a kind of style that was both practical and easy on the eyes. And she had pockets. Unfortunately the Doctor did not have a _good_ sense of style and strangely enough this was mostly seen in his eleventh self's hats. Yes, plural. Several times River ran with the eleventh Doctor, and he was brilliant. But the hats...they had to go.

_Fez One disintegrated with Amy Pond as an accomplice. Lasted around seven minutes._

_Fez Two was chucked out of the TARDIS and into the time space vortex. Three minutes. _

_Stetson. Shot. Fifteen minutes. _

_Pirate hat on the star ship Lightspeed. Airlock. Forty three seconds._

_Sombrero. Shalokatoph. Alpha Metzine particles from the cold fusion sun, beyond the protective force field. Seventy seconds._

_Rainbow striped hat complete with twirlable propeller at the 4326 Hat Festival. Auctioned. Paid with the Moxx of Balhoon's saliva. Five minutes as the Doctor had attempted a tug of war._

_Hat with an umbrella attached to the top. Pyroville. Told the Doctor it was sacrificed to the HighFire Council. (Not sacrificed, the Council had been accomplices. They had even agreed to outlaw them, lovely bunch.) A day to implement the law, only because of the bureaucracy, it was surprisingly speedy compared to the average of five years. _

And then there was the bright red top hat from the hat shop on Torbrook...

* * *

"_Oh, come on. I'll only be five minutes." _That was what the Doctor had told her seven hours ago. She honestly though she was going mad.

The Doctor walked around the hat stands in the centre of the shop. The shop itself, from the outside was shaped like a top hat. And on the inside, just as subtlety advertised, were hats. Hundreds of thousands of hats. Hat heaven. It was like Christmas come early and he loved it. A huge beaming grin on his face as he walked around and tried several on. Then he came across the top hat section, Dr River Song knew it was downhill from there.

"River!" He called excitedly. "Come here! Quick!"

River sighed and dragged herself up from the chair in the centre of the shop and walked over to him. The bowtie she could handle, it suited the jacket he wore, suited his whole personality. But this hat fetish. She found it ridiculous. She scoffed at the red top hat perched precariously on his head, his floppy fringe poking out from the brim. "What, is that?"

"You don't like it?" He said with a pout as he turned his head from side to side as he admired his reflection in the mirror.

River shook her head. "Can you just pick one so we can leave?" She asked exasperatedly.

"One?" He looked alarmed and then span on the spot. "But there's so many. And we haven't even looked at the sombreros. Sombreros are cool."

"I know," she said in a bored tone. "You've said. So are Stetsons and fezzes." The Doctor grinned as he remembered the coolness of his old hats.

"So, let's go to the sombreros," he said gleefully as he tugged her arm towards the escalator. Now, River Song believed that she was a patient woman. She had waited for the Doctor for a very long time. But seven hours in a hat shop and she felt like screaming. So she did the first thing that seemed sane. She grabbed the Doctor by his shoulder and then pressed the teleport button on the vortex manipulator.

"What!" The Doctor spluttered as he tottered on the spot. They were now inside the TARDIS and not in his hat heaven. "River," he said in a warning tone as he walked to the screen. But she beat him to it, pulling it around and quickly typing in coordinates, sending the TARDIS into the time vortex. It smoothly flew without a sound.

"You," she poked his chest. "Promised me the gold reefs of Colfhsa." She prodded him again and the Doctor looked back at her sheepishly.

"We were going to go, I just wanted a new hat to wear," he replied sulkily.

"Seven hours, and you tried on about two hundred hats, and didn't buy any," she reminded him with raised eyebrows.

"Yes, well, I got a little carried away there. Time flies when you're having fun," he shrugged unrepentant. "You should've just said if you were bored. I'm trying to give up vortex travel. Nasty, cheap thrill and addictive."

"Fine," she shrugged too, dropping the point and sitting down on the chair.

"So, next time, just let me know." The Doctor told her as the TARDIS landed and he reached over to put the handbrake down.

She sighed. "No, next time, you're going on your own," she told him as she stood up and walked down the ramp. "And no more fezzes, please Doctor."

"Why?" He asked as he followed her.

"You'll find out, sooner...or later." River grinned at the memory before throwing the doors open and a soft golden light hit their faces, drenching the front of the TARDIS in the glow. A beautiful view, and extremely beautiful as there were no hats in sight. For that, she was grateful for.

* * *

And it was while they were having lunch that he began to rummage through his pockets. "Now, where did I put it?" The Doctor mumbled under his breath.

"Put what?" River asked as she scooped up more ice cream.

"Ah ha!" He cried and River put down her spoon, curious to see what he was looking for. His green eyes were shining with joy. He jammed on the red top hat that he had managed to stuff in his pocket seconds before they had teleported out from the shop. Beaming like a mad man.

"What!" River exclaimed.

"No, it's a top hat. Not as cool as a fez, but it's very red. I love it. Top hats are cool," he babbled, tilting the hat from side to side, his floppy fringe was squashed flat by the hat.

River's mind whirred for possible get-out-clauses to this particular situation. "You stole it," she stated bluntly.

"Nope, I dropped a few credits. Actually I was aiming for the shelve where I picked it up from, but teleporting out so quickly tends to throw one's aim off." He had picked up the silver serviette dispenser on the table and was admiring his new hat in the reflection. River merely stared at it.

"You can't wear that," she protested quickly.

"Why not?" The Doctor stared at her, his eyes flickered from side to side, analysing her expression. He looked amused, and she didn't like it.

There was a short silence as River deliberated on the plan. It could work, provided he didn't catch on too quick and scarper. She looked back at him with a smile on her face and he was instantly suspicious. "Because it has ice cream on it." River told him plainly.

The Doctor looked confused. "No it doesn't-"

He was cut off when River quickly stood up, scooped up the ice cream bowl and dumped it on top of his hat. Sticky trails of Habnoo flavoured ice cream dripped down and collected on the brim of the hat. River blinked twice, wondering how he was going to react.

"Now it does." The Doctor corrected himself wearily and removed the red top hat. He realised with a tinge of disappointment that he was now used to her finding ways to get rid of his hats. "You know, one day I'll be wearing a hat that you think is cool," he looked down at the ruined hat with a resigned look. "And when that day come, you'll be speechless," he tacked on.

"Really?" River's eyebrows were raised in mock surprise. "I look forward to that day, although, because we're talking about you, it might be impossible."

The Doctor scoffed and they finished their ice cream before heading back to the TARDIS. He continued to tinker with the typewriter on the console and River sat down on the sofa, left leg crossed over her right and pulled out the little blue book. She opened it to the page entitled _Hat Hit List._

'_Red top hat. Approximately an hour. Ice cream.' _She added to a list which appeared to be growing every meeting.

* * *

_Reviews are cool :D _


	40. Come With Me

_I had a update defict due to the error messages...so here's another one! :D _

_Because the Doctor says this to all his companions...and what I would've thought he'd say to River! :D_

_Don't know which Doctor this would be...(I've gone back into ambiguity again. Do you mind?)_

_Now, I've done a drabble...this is a... 'drouble'... yes, I'm not so good with fanfiction's terminology. If you have the definition for 'fluff', please let me know! And what is 'whump?'_

_Anyway 200 words exactly!_

* * *

Come With Me

I'm a time traveller, I dabble in space too. I'll take you to planets with civilisations reaching for the sky. Where flowers sing, places where water flows backwards, stars that burn so bright and young. White holes where you can ride out the energy like a rolling wave crashing down onto a beach. Can you imagine the TARDIS as a surfboard? Galaxies that have spun through time and will keep on spinning, crashing into each other and swallowing solar systems whole. We can see cities of people long buried. I told you before, I point and laugh at archaeologists, only because who need archaeology when you can see history in the making? The past and the future as the present. Home, that'll be this marvellous blue box. You won't need anything. We'll see everything. And I'll warn you now, because it's only fair, sometimes things don't always go according to plan. I've been dubbed the Oncoming Storm for legitimate reasons. So there will most certainly be times when we'll have to run. But that's just the bits in between. Oh, the things we'll see if you'll come with me...You, me and the stars, River Song. Who wouldn't wish for that?

* * *

_Liked? Review! XD_


	41. The Could Have Been Room

_Yes, some bits are slightly AU, what with 10 being seen, but not known in the library episodes. Oh well! :D _

_Doctor is...15th (green eyes)!__ And River knows him longer. That bit I know for definite! :D _

_I'm so very bored and have too many ideas for once! :D Enjoy! :D _

* * *

The Could-Have-Been Room

Now, the TARDIS is a being like no other. It can travel in time and space. Shaped as a police box from the 1960's. It has a heart of Huon energy from a time long since past. And it is steeped in Time. In more than one sense...

Time is a slippery thing. Apart from it being totally abstract, it is also something which seemed to many lecturers, physicists and even Time Lords knew that they wouldn't even be able to fully understand it. It was older than they were, and would be around for a long time to come.

So, the TARDIS was stepped in time energy, commonly known as Artron energy. Merely background radiation as a consequence of travelling through the time space vortex. But there was another way in which it was steeped in Time. This certain feature of it leaked in through a gap in between the coral struts that ran through the marvellous machine.

The TARDIS is a Time and Relative Dimension in Space. Not many people know what that actually entails, save for a handful of its occupants. Its layout is a vast maze of corridors, and doors which line them. Since it is '_relative'_ there is an immeasurable number of doors, and rooms behind them. Some are regularly occupied, clothes and devices scattered everywhere. Others were bare and cold, left forgotten or never even stepped in. Some were old room, the occupants long since gone.

And then there was the room in which the time energy had seeped through. Working its way through the cracks and seeping into the space. Time and space combined. And River Song was there to witness the side effect.

* * *

She slowly pushed the door open. The Doctor was busy, he was 'fixing' one of the power couplings after a particularly unexpected trip. So she had decided to explore the TARDIS. Wandering down the corridors she quickly found herself lost. Corridors all looked the same, the doors while different, were still doors.

So she continued to walk, occasionally opening a door and taking a look inside. She had found three kitchens, one of which had multicoloured cabinets. Two bathrooms and a human sized neon yellow plastic duck. The swimming pool in the library. The secondary console room, which had been a little dusty. And then she saw another door. It was of dark varnished wood and had a golden doorknob. River walked up to it, only because it seemed so ordinary for a ship so extraordinary.

As she stepped in, she could hear that it was silent and it was significantly cooler. Her hand fumbled around for a light switch but almost simultaneously the door clicked shut and a gold chandelier lit up. It hung from the ceiling and the diamonds that hung down from it sparkled.

River watched as a silver-grey mist developed and it obscured the wall on the other side of the room so that she couldn't see through it. She became wary and kept one hand on the door handle ready to exit if she needed to.

Out of the haze, half transparent figures formed. There was a man, in a brown suit and tie, he had spiky ginger hair and a broad smile. By his side was a blonde woman, she had glossy hair, a small mouth turned up in a smile and wore a large dress, very elaborate and ostentatious. River guessed that she must have been rich and from an era long passed. Their figures crossed the room and slowly became clearer. The man's mouth moved quite animatedly and River could catch snatches of the conversation they were having.

"Look at us, abandoning the slow path." The man said with a cheeky grin.

"My lonely angel, lonely no more." The woman replied back with a soft smile.

The man tilted his head backwards and his misty eyes seemed to stare at River. He blinked twice and then their conversation muted, the figures of the man and woman disappeared back into the haze as quickly as they had appeared.

River frowned, completely confused as to what had just happened. She had never see him before, or the woman. Yet they were here, in some form, in the TARDIS. River's eyes narrowed as she scrutinised the haze. It seemed to shimmer under the chandelier's light, almost like fog.

She was about to leave the room when she could hear voices. A woman first and then a man.

"No, that's not right."

"What isn't?" The girl had an old Earth accent, from London.

Then River could see the speakers. A man in a black leather jacket, he brandished a sonic screwdriver in his left hand, his right hand was clasped around a young girl, barely in her twenties, blonde with brown streaks. She looked excited but also scared.

The man practically dragged her across the room. "Come on Rose, no time to smell the flowers, we're going to lose it!" He charged off, jacket ends flapping behind him.

The girl, Rose, laughed loudly before chasing after him, calling out, "Oi! Wait up!" They too disappeared and their footsteps faded into the silence.

The mist shifted, it rolled forwards. River pressed her back against the wall. To her, they looked like ghosts. But there were no such things. She was an archaeologist. People left behind things, objects, items, clothing. There were never ghosts at her sites.

Then there was another ghost, this time it was a man, just by himself. He was very transparent, River could just about make out his figure from the mist. He walked across the length of the room, then turned around again, and walked back. Then he paused. "It's only me now," he spoke to himself, unaware that she was listening in. "Last of them all. How can that be possible?"

River's eyes widened and she stepped forwards, only slightly. "Doctor?" She called, her voice a little quieter than normal.

The man didn't look like he heard her. So she tried again, this time a little louder. "Doctor?"

The man only shook his head and then continued to pace, back and forth, still muttering under his breath.

"Doctor!" River shouted, one last attempt to catch his attention. Yet again it didn't work for the ghost man. But she could see that he was the same Time Lord who she knew. Something in the eyes, even if they were misty.

"Yes? River? Where are youuuu?" The Doctor called, only it was the solid, non-ghost Doctor who had finished fixing the power couplings in the console room.

"I'm here." River called back. The haze was slowly rolling backwards, like it was being sucked and compressed away from her. It shifted and roiled, coiling up. The ghost Doctor turned and walked into the dense part of the haze and didn't walk back out.

"And where would that be?" The Doctor called from somewhere in the corridors.

"Just...in a room. I'm coming out now."

"OK!" The Doctor shouted. River quickly turned the golden doorknob and stepped out, the chandelier dimmed as she exited the room.

She shivered as the warm air in the corridor warmed her up. The Doctor stood at the end of the corridor and he looked left and right, down other corridors. "River!" He called in a sing song voice.

"Yes," she called back and he turned around.

"There you are," he walked over to her, and then frowned. "Where have you been. I've been looking for you for ages."

"Just, in there." River pointed to the wooden door.

The Doctor's frown deepened. "In there?"

"What kind of a room is it?" River asked as they both stared at the door. "I saw, not ghosts, but they were people, and transparent."

The Doctor pulled his sonic screwdriver out from his pocket and pointed it at the door. It hummed and buzzed before bleeping twice. They read the results. "Now, that's something, new." The Doctor mumbled.

"I don't understand." River stated.

"No, neither do I, not entirely anyway," he replied. "Although, if I were to take an educated guess, the type of time energy in this room, shows _could-have-been's_. That is, using the mental link of the TARDIS, could-have-been'sfrom my own past. The TARDIS is practically omniscient." He said in a surprised tone.

"I saw you. I think it was you. You had a leather jacket and a blonde girl with you. Rose, that was her name. And then there was another you, you said that '_they're all gone.' _River recalled what she had seen.

"Hmmm. Like I said, could-have-been's. Never happened, never will. Just ghosts from somewhere that never did end up happening. Best to leave it alone." He said as he stared at the door.

"There was another woman. She was blonde too. Big dress. Looked rich." River pressed as they walked back to the console, taking a short cut through the fourth kitchen she had seen today, however, in this one, the worktops were a luminous green.

"Really. Did she look French?" The Doctor asked with a concentrated frown as he guessed.

"I suppose. She called you a _lonely angel. Her_ lonely angel in fact." River answered, trying to hide her irritation.

"Oh, that must have been Reinette. Madame de Pompadour. Seventeenth century France. She knew how to party. All the French do," he stated matter-of-factly.

"Really, and were they all blonde?"

"No." The Doctor replied in a dismissive tone.

"How did you know her?" River asked.

"Imaginary childhood friend." He gave a little shrug, it was all history to him.

"You like that game, don't you?" River said as she looked down a corridor which seemed to get smaller at the end, and then she carried on walking. The Doctor stared at her and then quickly followed.

"What?"

"Don't _what_ me. It's rude." River told him as she walked into the console room.

"No, what did you mean by that?" The Doctor asked incredulously as he leaned against the typewriter.

River tapped in coordinates. "Spoilers! Although, I think you'll find out pretty soon. I remember that jacket," she told him with a smirk.

The Doctor glanced down the stripy blue and white jacket, lines running vertically. The blue matched his beloved TARDIS.

"I think you'll find that this is the very height of fashion in the twenty fourth century!" He defended his choice in clothes.

"Not when you first met me." River said as she threw the wibbley lever up. The console whirred and they were sent flying into the vortex once more.

* * *

_Yes, that bit at the end, I'm totally setting it up for a future chapter. Another possible 'first' meeting. I think that my last one, while it was fairly cotton candy, wasn't true to them. If the Doctor and River met when she was little, no, actually, when the Doctor and River met when she was little...they would run! :D_

_Reviews make my fanfiction world go round...and around.. :D _


	42. Of Warnings and Paradoxes

_So, here it is a River who is from after the Library. AU, possibly :D I don't know where this came from, but, it would be before the whole thing in series 6. And the Doctor is 11!_

'_So don't rely, on people you meet. Because no one is safe in these streets.'- New In Town, Little Boots_

_Only 'cos she likes to warn him!_

_I suppose this could be AU...but it does still fit in because the future him left the neural relay inside the future sonic... :D _

* * *

Of Warnings and Paradoxes

"River, what are you doing here?" The Doctor asked as he glanced up from the screen. She was leaning on the side of the console, watching him carefully.

"Just passing through. No real reason to be honest." She replied with a little smirk.

"Oh." He nodded awkwardly. "Well, it was very handy that you were there. And with the right FDJS battery to boost the signal and ready and waiting with the correct type of crocodile clips. Rather brilliant if I say so myself. But," The Doctor's eyes narrowed and he looked around the side of the rotor, River merely smiled at him as she twiddled with some of the TARDIS controls.

"Lucky guess." She smirked and he sighed, knowing that she wasn't going to spill her secrets.

"Any way, what I mean to say was, thank you River Song," he said, nodding his head sincerely.

River paused, her fingers over a switch. "Doctor...do you trust me?" She asked slowly.

"Well, after that incident, I'm going to have to say, implicitly," he grinned at her, but then the grin faltered when he saw her watching him with guarded eyes.

"And what does that entail Doctor?" She asked with a frown.

"With my life," he replied bluntly before reaching over to the monitor and pretended to look busy buy pulling up maps of a solar system that he'd never want to go to.

River walked towards him and looked over his shoulder. "Why would you want to go Clom? Now, if you wanted to see the Australian Gold Rush..." she trailed off when he didn't reply. He turned to face her, expression unreadable. So familiar to her, and yet the eyes were so different, not quite her Doctor's just yet.

"Why did you ask me that?" He shot back, his eyes searching hers, their faces only centimetres apart. There was silence for a moment. Then she stepped to the side and pulled the screen towards her, tapping it so that it returned to the home page.

"You shouldn't." She told him plainly as she pushed the screen back towards him.

"Why not?" He asked curiously.

"Don't, it could be your biggest mistake." River warned she stepped pass him and walked towards the ramp. Then she paused and turned back, walking up the ramp. She pulled out a neural relay from her pocket and placed it on the side of the TARDIS. "Paradoxes never really have a beginning or an end, do they Doctor?" She smirked knowingly.

"Why are you really here River?"

"Just tying up some loose ends. You and me sweetie, the biggest paradox of them all. And I hate what happens in the middle. I really do. But the ending...oh, it never really does end. How it always happened, how it always will. Me, you, time and space. And, because if this doesn't happen...then maybe the universe would fall apart." She smiled sadly at him and then walked off.

"River?" The Doctor called. "What...did...you?"

"You'll think of something, you always do." The smile wavered slightly. "I'll see you very soon sweetie. And then, the darkest days will come, something we can never run from. But we'll muddle through, we always do. Until then, Doctor."

"I hope to see you again soon." The Doctor replied, trying to smile as he saw her off. He had walked around the console and had picked up the neural relay. He inspected it, and it looked like the same one that had he had used to save her in the Great Library and he looked up at her with wide eyes. River shook her head as she walked out, softly closing the door behind her.

* * *

_:D New series starts soon!_


	43. Dancing

_Thank you to all who have reviewed, alerted and favourited. (reached over 100 reviews now!) This is just an awesome fact and I'm glad you've enjoyed this series so far and hope you like the following chapters just as well! :D _

_Somehow, an advert for winter is now seeping into my Spring thoughts...? Song words (not mine) : 'We met in the winter, and we fell in love.' I think it was for M&S_

_To Doctor-River: This is the chapter I was talking about! Lots of DRiver! :D _

_Have you heard of the 'dancing' allusion in DW? Well it was bound to come up. So, in the same way as the 9__th __Doctor danced with Rose in the episode, 'The Doctor Dances' and how 10 danced with Madame de Pompadour ie,'there comes a time when every lonely little boy must learn to dance'... here River dances with the Doctor...hmmm...I haven't decided what number though, sorry! _

* * *

Dancing

River Song, human. The Doctor, Time Lord. They had known each other before, and will continue to meet in the future, knowing more, knowing the same amount and without knowing as much about each other. At every meeting, there were different memories, thoughts and feelings. Almost like meeting for the first time, every time.

They met one cold winter's eve and stepped into a blue box that promptly disappeared, throwing up a flurry of snowflakes in a frosty breeze which stopped as suddenly as it started. She wore a long blue dress, the same dark blue to match her eyes. He, in a black suit and bowtie. It had lost the connotations of danger and trouble over the years, now it was just a tie, a favourite one.

They journeyed to a ball in the early 39650's and stepped out into the corridor, dimly lit by lamps on the wall that flickered, reminiscent to days long past without electricity. Wooden floors and vaulted ceilings, complete with crystal chandeliers that threw pretty little rainbows onto the cream walls when the light reflected at a certain angle. They walked down the quiet corridor, arms linked together, leaning into each other's side, and then out into the main hall.

A band played music softly in the corner and couples stood and talked, some by the walls, others sat at tables and there were a handful who were swaying to the music in the centre of the room. Each acted like they were the only ones in the room, private bubbles that nothing could snap them out of. A few whispered words, fingers intertwined, a smile and a little laugh.

River Song and her Doctor danced. The music changed, from one piece, to another and yet another, but they didn't leave their spot in the centre of the room. They spun around, and swayed to the music. One step after another, easy as breathing, they didn't have to watch to mind each other's feet.

They continued to dance and the lights grew dim. The band's music chimed quietly in the background. They were the last couple, both on the dance floor and the whole room. They didn't care. They just smiled at each other and talked.

He told her how he wanted to see the Shining Suns of Kilkara. River told him that she had been to Africa in 4362 and saw the sun rise over the dusty plains, large and red and yellow. The Doctor told her that he had seen the Fifteenth Broken Moon of the Medusa Cascade and how the fragments, although splintered and scattered, were still held together by the gravitational energy from the larger chunks.

She told him about how she wanted to see Giant Kraken of Parplon, a distant relative of the Star Whale. He told her about how he saw the Astra, who lived on the small planet on the edge of the Callavan system, a magnificent civilisation and how they rose to take their place in the universe. River told him how she wanted to see a supernova explode, the start of new life at the end of one, how everything that would come after would be made of stardust.

They spun around on the dance floor, shoes tapping against the wood. There were a few chuckles and a few laughs and eventually the band's music fell silent. They were the only two left in the room. The lights on the wall dimmed, so that they only threw small circles of pale yellow light on the wall. If anyone were to peer into the room from around the door, they would see the two silhouettes swaying to non-existent music.

Their conversation turned to whispers because the room seemed too big to have a conversation at the normal level. Of stars and wishes. They reminisced of past meetings, mused on their future, and drops hints of a handful of sparkling spoilers that glittered in their eyes.

The two danced and dreamed until the large burgundy sun poked through the window slits high up on the wall, ruby red rays drenched the dance floor in straight lines, it spread across the tables and chairs and slowly crept along toward the two who continued to dance oblivious...

* * *

'_The End' even though they don't care!_

_Though, not the end of this story! _

_:D _

_I had the inexplicable to make this chapter a little fairytale like, hope it worked and I hope you liked it! _


	44. Just A Job AU

_Based off the lines in the new series 6 trailer: (It's cool!)_

_The Silence: Fear me, I have killed hundreds of Time Lords  
The Doctor (dismissively): Fear me, I killed all of them. _

_So, basically, another possible way in which River kills the best man she ever knew (assuming it's the Doctor too) :D Probably my last shot at this, because we shall find out soon! (AU!AU!)_

_Thanks to all who have reviewed, favourited and alerted. _

_To Mrs 11__th__: Glad you liked it!_

* * *

Just A Job

River was a consulting Time Agent. And she had been for a while. Ever since she was a teenager she had watched, read and heard the whispered rumours about the Time Agency, and she wanted to work for them. Only, when she sent her CV and application form in, she got the reply that she didn't want.

'_We are sorry to inform you that due to timelines we have had to decline your application to the Time Agency.'_

She wasn't happy at all, and so late one night she broke into the regional offices. It was nondescript and looked like any other office with white washed walls and a deep blue carpet. There was a filing system in the corner in a language that she couldn't understand. So River sat on the desk and waited for the morning.

And he was surprised when he walked in the next morning and saw a blonde bushy haired teenager. She told him that she wasn't leaving until he had given her a proper explanation as to why she had been rejected, and that there was nothing wrong with her application.

"Like you've already been informed, timelines." He stated, slightly annoyed, but slightly amused that someone had broken into his office.

"And that means?"

"Things have to happen."

"Why?" She asked tenaciously.

The man sighed. "Look her Ms Song, timelines have a certain pliability, but you can't work for the Time Agency, they won't be able to stand that. Now, we scrutinise all Time Agent's time lines when considering their applications and if they are involved with certain, fixed points, then this is looked into. You, for instance have a future unlike any other applicant and because of this you can't join the Time Agency," he explained.

River fell silent for a few minutes; she sat in the chair opposite him and tapped her fingers on the side as she thought. "You said that there is some flexibility..." she said slowly. "I can't _join_ the Time Agency, but what about being a consultant. An expert. I'd still be working, in the employment of the Time Agency, and it wouldn't affect the time lines."

The man stared at her and then let out a chuckle. "You are definitely something Ms Song." He shook his head.

"Your answer?" River said bluntly, wanting to know his answer.

The man nodded his head. "I agree with your strange logic. You can start tomorrow."

"Where?" River asked, trying to hide her enthusiasm, but failed in hiding the hint of a smile on her face.

"I think, you would be suited to the Maintaining branch of the Time Agency. You will help in fixing events that have seemingly gone off track. Keeping the Great Leap to time, that sort of thing."

* * *

Twelve years later, a degree in archaeology, planets, solar systems, civilisations and ordinary people saved, River Song was back in the office. The walls had been painted white a few times and the carpets had been changed from a deep blue to a dark red. "Well Ms Song, we've been monitoring the time lines."

"My time line," she interjected in with a smirk.

"Yes," the head of department sighed. "Yes, of course. Don't miss a thing do you?"

River blinked as though it were obvious. "And?"

"You're switching departments," he stated, cutting to the chase. "Moving from Maintenance to Disposal."

River chuckled. "Disposal?"

"Oh, nothing like that." He grinned at her face, the scar on the corner of his mouth stretched. "Disposal, as in tying up loose ends, and snipping them off. We don't want Time to ruined by a huge knot in the centre of it, now do we?" He titled his head and she stared at him.

"When you say Disposal..." She repeated with a frown.

"Of course, you can of course reject the assignment, but at least read it." He pushed forwards a MiPad and she glanced at it before returning to scrutinise his face.

"Disposal." She repeated once more, this time in a disapproving tone.

"You're the best in Maintenance," he shrugged as he began to flick through the files on his desk. "Makes sense."

She huffed, picked up the MiPad and then walked out of the office without looking back.

* * *

She ended up in the library. It was only a few streets away from the Time Agency office and it was a lot quieter. She was familiar with it too, having spent four years studying for her degree. River sat in the corner and looked at the data on the MiPad.

The man they wanted her to...dispose of was called the Doctor. She chuckled at the name, although, she had come across others with stranger. After realising that the information on the MiPad wasn't enough for her to decide on whether she should take up the contract, she stood, stretched out her arms and then walked over to one of the computer terminals to do further research.

And she found a lot. "My, my, you have been busy," she muttered as she looked at the number of hits on the counter, well over a billion. Over a billion mentions in history. She was more than shocked, she was surprised. If he was supposedly so dangerous that the Time Agency had taken it into their hands to, '_dispose' _of him, then why now, why not years ago?

She pulled up a chair and then started to make her way through the links. "So, you're a pretty complex guy," River mumbled as she read through his background. A Time Lord, last of. The mentions were split evenly; half portrayed him in a positive light, the other half in negative loathing. In this sense, history was not written by the victors, because he didn't stay very long in one place, and he certainly didn't do the writing himself.

So then River began to research on his aliases. The Last Time Lord. The Oncoming Storm. The Destroyer of Worlds. The Trickster.

_One day he'd just drop out of the sky and the whole planet would burn._

_He's like fire and ice...and so wonderful._

_Impossible man with an equally impossible box._

_The man is a trickster, do not trust._

_If you ever meet the Doctor, be prepared to run._

_Madame De Pompadour often referred to her Lonely Angel, and once was quoted in one of her servant's diaries to say 'The Doctor, my Lonely Angel. He always leaves, and I am left alone, here on the slow path. One day, maybe he shall return, but until then, I shall watch the night sky and dream of him in the stars.'_

_The Doctor brings death and destruction in his wake._

The more River read, the more she became confused, after all, history was divided; there would always be winners and losers. The man had brought many war mongering species like Sontarans down to their knees, stopped unlawful practises, changed lives and attempted to save people. But he had also burned planets and the damage that he left behind him was catastrophic. A walking disaster. And it didn't seem like his fault. Perhaps that's why he ran.

River sighed and then scrolled down further, almost making up her mind that because he had never done anything out rightly destructive and on purpose, when she saw something that threw that decision out of her mind.

_Torchwood files. (Old Earth Agency. Defended the planet, __Sol 3__, __other mentions click here__.)_

_Last updated by Captain Jack Harkness, Torchwood 3, Cardiff, 2011_

_The Doctor, Last of the Time Lords (__more info__)_

_He committed genocide during the Last Great Time War. Time Lords and Daleks burned. Gallifrey is gone, Time Locked. _

_Sources__: Naismiths (residing in HMP Penton), Vinvocci trawlers, Wilfred Mott. _

River slowly clicked out of the information window and rolled her chair away. Then she walked out of the library, red heels clacking on the varnished wood. She had made her decision.

* * *

The blue box landed and then River latched onto the coordinates. The vortex manipulator landed her a few meters away, just hidden behind a thicket of purple foliage in the midst of deep red trees with orange leaves as large as her branches drooped down.

She stepped out and the blue doors of the box opened up. A man stepped out. A large grin plastered over his face. Bowtie and tweed jacket. He looked ridiculous. And young. Too young to commit those crimes he was accused of. But then she caught his gaze as his eyes glanced over his surroundings and she almost stumbled back. While his face was young, his eyes were old. And they burned through her.

She stepped out slowly when he had his back turned, her foot brushed against a twig and he turned around. The smile spread across his face wider. "River! Is that where you've got to then?" She frowned but her arm was raised. The gun in her hand was aimed at him. His smile disappeared. "Oh that's not...expected." He mumbled.

She shook her head. "No, but it's been a long time coming Time Lord," she replied and then pulled the trigger. He collapsed, the red from the bullet hole slowly leaking out and spreading out across his shirt. The bowtie was slowly soaking in the liquid. His eyes were closed but she could feel his stare on her. River left as quickly as she came, disappearing in a flash of light. The Doctor was dead.

The thing that made up her mind, was that he did something which was both extremely horrendous and hypocritical. But not only that, it also showed her that he was unsafe. The thought of the damage he could do to the timelines was uncomprehendable. That if a gun ever made its way into his hand, he would use it. Because he committed genocide against two races, against his own people. His whole race was dead because of him. And that proved that he was dangerous, and that he couldn't be allowed to continue. So River killed him before he was the cause of someone else's death.

* * *

So when she saw him again, a century later, he had wary eyes. She was shocked and he nodded his head, partly amused and partly unsure whether he should leave, after all she had shot him and caused him to regenerate. Instead, there was an awful lot of running and a whole town was saved as they worked together. River was beginning to pay back for the crime that she had committed but she didn't know exactly what her future would bring, or what those _spoilers_ meant either.

* * *

_You know, every time the thought of River killing the Doctor comes into my head...I do think that she shoots him...hmm. Can't wait to find out! :D _


	45. All That Glitters

_Wow, long delay between the last update and this one. I know. I'm sorry. : (_

_I've been on a break and I'm still on it, (revision), so, updates will be a lot slower. (Also I'm finishing off other stories so more of my attention will be on them...but...that doesn't mean ideas for Spoilers will stop either, I've been given more prompts! Thank you for those! Either way I'm still going to be typing!) _

_Prompter: Ramon-Tiva-TenRiv_

_Prompt: The aliens in this chapter. I don't want to ruin the surprise_

_Special thanks to Ramon-Tiva-TenRiv who also helped with the working out of ideas of this chapter/story. Enjoy!_

* * *

All That Glitters

The door tinkled open and the man stepped into the cool shade of the grocery store. "Hello, Mr Smith." Sam McCarthy called.

"Hello Sam." The grocery store owner called from behind the counter. His hair was greying, but had bright eyes as he leaned against the counter and looked over what was on his shelves, making a note on what he needed to replace. Then he turned around to serve his customer.

"Nice day, isn't it?" Sam said as he walked up to the counter with a bag of bread rolls in his hand.

"Yeah, good day for digging for gold." Mr Smith chuckled.

"That too." Sam laughed along.

"Look at this." Mr Smith frowned as he pointed to newspaper on the top of the stack sitting on the counter. The headline of the first page read, '_Population hits record!'_

"Not too pleased?" Sam asked as he pulled out money from his pocket to pay.

"No, all those criminals and murderers." The old man gave a little huff. He flicked the page over. "_Another gone missing at Ballarat..._ you know, the sod probably found a large nugget and scarpered. Or maybe someone did him over and stole the gold themselves," he chuckled.

Sam tipped his head to the side. "Not all the people who were transported-"

He was cut of quickly by Mr Smith, "Yeah, not all of them stole some bread. I know." He gave a pointed look to the bag of bread rolls and then glanced up to Sam's face, which bore the expression of sheepishness. Then the old man laughed loudly. Sam just shook his head in reply.

Mr Smith's face turned serious. "But, you know us, the ones who came here for a better life, one with the sun and no grief from our old lives, we deserve more than living knee deep in murderers and thieves. You hardly did anything, a loaf of bread, compared to some of the others living here, working here. And you never know if they're going to do it again." He prodded the counter with a wrinkled finger.

Sam hummed, only to acknowledge what the old man was saying. "Seven years I've been here, a new start. Something that I couldn't have before in London. And a ticket of leave."

"Like I said, you hardly did anything. Here's your change." The man pushed some coins over the counter and Sam slipped them into his pocket.

The man flicked over the page again and then tutted. "Look at this, ridiculous. I bet this is them too. Stealing the metal off the statue in the town square."

Sam let out a laugh and leaned over to look at the news story. It was a little section with a notice informing reader if they have any information to get in contact with the authorities. "Oh, I should get going, I've a free day, I'm going to spend it up at Poverty Point. Have a nice day Mr Smith."

"You too boy." The old man replied with a smile and he turned around to carry on stock taking.

* * *

"Hello!" A voice called behind Sam. He felt someone slap him over his shoulder. It was one of the other workers, Billy. Short dirty blond hair and blue eyes that flashed with humour. He'd been caught for stealing from a shop in London a few years ago and was put on a ship as the city was being purged of all criminals.

"Hello." Sam grinned at him. "How are you?"

"I'm good. I'm feeling quite lucky today. Think I'm going to try for gold further up. Might be some more," said Billy

Sam looked at his friend, one eyebrow raised, "Don't be silly. There's nothing up there, it's been like that for months. Every time a group goes to see, they come back empty handed. You'll be wasting your time." Sam scoffed, but Billy was unperturbed and only shrugged his shoulders.

"I'm going to take a look, you never know. They could have all missed something big." Billy said defiantly as he strolled off at a quicker pace leaving Sam behind.

* * *

Billy searched for alluvial gold in the hills; he walked further than he had ever before on a day's work and found nothing. Still, he remained determined and continued to walk and search for the shiny metal hoping that he'd make a find. But by the afternoon, things were pretty obvious, there was not even a glimmer in the dirt and he sighed as he sat down under the shade of a tree.

He lent back against the bark and sulked. He was sure he'd find gold somewhere and thought that the other groups who had walked up hadn't looked properly. Still, seeing was believing and he couldn't see anything. A waste of a morning. He slumped further down against the tree and his eyes scanned over the green landscape, his eye caught something which shone in the midday sun.

"Now, is that what I think it is?" Billy mumbled under his breath. He stood up and then walked down the hill, dirt stuck to his shoes down as he walked quicker. He slowed as he got to the bottom and walked around to a hole in the ground where he had seen the shine from. It was deep and slanted into the ground, burrowing into the hill itself and he bent down to see whether he could spot the shiny glint again.

His hands ran over the edges of the hole and he brushed dirt and grass clumps to the sides to see if it was covered, but he couldn't see any gold. He lent back on his knees and frowned. _I could've sworn I saw something,_ he told himself, puzzled at the lack of gold.

There was a rumbling from inside the hole and he froze. "What?" He lent forwards to see inside the hole. There was something inside the hole and it scraped the sides as it moved forwards, a black shadowy shape. Billy crawled a little forward on his hands and knees so that he was right on the lip of the mud hole and peered in.

The rumbling continued, getting louder and the ground shook and cracked. A moment later there was a flash of gold, and a creature akin to a stingray but covered in gold, flew out of the hole knocking Billy backwards. "What!" He exclaimed as he scrambled to his feet. "No!" The Stingray circled around him in the air, and then swooped low to attack him, maw open and razor sharp teeth ready. Then a scream filled the dry noon air.

* * *

The Doctor was the first out of the TARDIS, and after a quick turn on the spot, he raced off for a higher spot to survey the area. "This is all wrong!" He called in sing-song to River who chased after him.

"I can see that." She shouted back as she climbed up the incline.

"It's all deserted!" He spun around again, half in annoyance and half in confusion. "Where is it all? This," He jumped on the spot, "Is not the first anti-gravity Olympics. I wanted to see the Balhoonians win the four hundred metres space hop." The Doctor waved his arms wildly as he sulked openly.

He turned to face River, "Don't, say a word. I put in the right coordinates." He gave a pointed look at River who stood by him and looked out at the crumbling buildings and the general desertedness of the whole area. Not a green oasis as a tourist hub for one of the most brilliant sporting events of the 33rd century.

"I know you did. I saw you." She replied. "So, then something else is wrong."

The Doctor jumped up and down on the spot again, "There is something wrong. This is all wrong. I just...I should have realised before...something's changed."

"Well, if you mean it's not what you were expecting?" River said sarcastically.

"No, not that." He shot her an exasperated look. "Something else. It's just wrong and then it's not." He said plainly while looking at his surroundings.

"Like a temporal fluctuation?" River waved her scanner in front of him and he caught sight of the readings.

"Yes, that sounds about right." He pulled out his sonic screwdriver from his pocket and began to take more readings. "Take these back to the TARDIS and we'll have to track it back, see exactly where it all started. Must not have been a fixed point, or we'd have seen the Reapers." He glanced around the sky, looking for those leathery bat like wings and glad that he couldn't see them.

"I'll go this way, meet back at the TARDIS in five?" River said as she walked off, brandishing her clunky scanner. The Doctor laughed at it and nodded at her. "You know, if you don't like it, you can always give me yours." She said, glancing down at the green humming sonic in his left hand.

"Maybe," he replied, unconvinced.

She laughed at his face, "Only joking sweetie, I couldn't possibly pry your sonic away from you. That'd be the height of both madness and stupidity." She continued to walk off grinning and he glanced at her before turning around to scan his surroundings a little more.

Five minutes later the Doctor was leaning against the side of the TARDIS as River walked up. "Found anything?" He asked her.

She shook her head, "No, just more rubble. Seems like...it's all in ruins. The whole planet."

"Fossilized actually," he corrected.

"What?"

"The echoes of the future fossilized in the present. Because it can't go any further. In fact, they wouldn't be here at all if that specific point in time was being changed, almost changed, will be changed, depending on how you're looking at it." He frowned at his temporally confusing explanation.

River paused to concentrate on his explanation, "You mean, we can fix this? This can go back to being the first anti gravity Olympics."

"Of course it can, every possibility, but not ever probability. Come on." He pushed open the TARDIS doors and they ran inside.

"Extrapolating the results." He called as he pulled the monitor over and pushed the sonic into a slot on the left hand side.

"Feeding the coordinates in."

"Locked in?"

"Just about...done," she announced as a bell chimed.

"Right then." The Doctor stuck his head out from the side of the console to see River looking back expectantly. "Geronimo!" He shouted as he sent the TARDIS whirling through the vortex. River had tracked back the temporal fluctuation and locked in the coordinates so that the TARDIS would land wherever it lead to.

* * *

The TARDIS landed with a thunk and a groan. Seconds later, River and the Doctor rushed out with the door swinging shut behind them. "It's... normal?" He said out loud, puzzled. They had landed in a dip between grassy hills. It was sunny, with blue skies and not a cloud in sight. Damp green grass covered the ground, glowing under the bright light. The hills were large and trees were dotting around and provided sparse shade. There were no people in sight and it was quiet. The smell of grass filled the still air, occasionally disturbed by a faint cool breeze.

The Doctor took in a deep breath studying the surroundings, "Earth, New Zealand? No, South East Australia! But...there must be something causing the temporal fluctuation here."

River had her scanner out and turned in a circle. "No, it's not very...strong, but it's definitely from this area. In this square mile at any rate. Maybe it hasn't happened yet?"

The Doctor was silent. "It was all in ruins. Something happened here, will happen. And it's just too big for just humans to change, stumbling in blindly...so something else made it happen."

River raised her eyebrow, "You think aliens?"

He looked at her pointedly.

River sighed, "Fine sweetie. Let's go investigate."

They walked across towards the pass between the hills, and although there were no people in sight, there was evidence that people had been there before. A slightly worn track which the two time travellers followed, a discarded canteen too, lay abandoned by a cluster of rocks. A companionable silence filled the air between them and they didn't break it until they came across a group sitting under a cluster of trees ten minutes later.

Four men, quite sweaty from labour, sat and ate their lunch and drank from their canteens. They all watched as the Doctor and River walked up and sat down on the ground in front of them.

"Hello, I'm the Doctor." The Doctor grinned.

"I'm River Song." River introduced herself.

The four men glanced at each other, clearly unsure about the two people, before one spoke."Hello, I'm John...and what brings you here, don't seem the type to be scrabbling in dirt for gold." He said before taking a long sip of water, a reasonable attempt to start a conversation.

"No, we're looking for something." River began, and then paused, wondering on how to phrase her question.

The Doctor decided to take over. "Has there been anything...strange happening recently? In the past few weeks? Lights in the sky? Or odd weather? Suspicious strangers?" River rolled her eyes, _suspicious. _The man wore a bow tie and tweed for crying out loud.

Another man leaned forwards, "Why, are you police?" The man's eyes narrowed and the Doctor shook his head. "You're English though, aren't you?"

"No, not police. Not English either. See." The Doctor whipped out his wallet and showed the psychic paper to the four men.

"Oh, sorry sir." John said, fidgeting a little while squinting his eyes to read the ID. "No, we haven't seen anything strange. Weather's been fine. No visitors into town either."

"No lights either." Another man added, "I'm Sam." He introduced himself and then slowly got to his feet as he finished off the last piece of food in his hand. "I should go find Billy, lunch is here and he's not." He waved at his friends who nodded back and Sam started to walk off.

"Actually, we'll come with you; it's possible that, Billy has seen something." River looked pointedly to the Doctor and then pulled the corner of the scanner out of her pocket, so that he could see it, but it was out of the sightline of everyone else.

"Yes, that would be good, if you don't have a problem." The Doctor asked Sam and he nodded politely.

"Why not? Though, you won't get much out of him, probably be sulking." Sam replied as he shrugged his shoulders and they walked down away from the trees, the rest of the group still sat underneath and as soon as the strangers were out of earshot, gossiped like old women. _Why'd you think the Doctor of Bowties and Fish Custard was here? What an odd name? Did you see what he was wearing? And her? They were both strange!_

* * *

"So, Sam." The Doctor grinned, "How's life been?"

"Fine." The man replied, a little puzzled. "Nothing much happens here; people come and start their lives over."

"Including you?" River asked.

"Yes. I was shipped over in 1845. Worked in the flour mill at Rose Hill, and then moved here when I got my ticket to leave."

"Seven years searching for alluvial gold." The Doctor whistled. "And this place is pretty good for it?"

"Yes, three years since it was discovered and now people are flooding in. Locals aren't too happy about it though. All the metal's being stolen."

"So, nothing strange has happened? No odd weather patterns, lights in the sky?" The Doctor repeated his question.

"Like the others told you, nothing. I don't know what you're looking for," Sam glanced at River and then back to the Doctor, "But, if you don't mind me saying so, you two are the strangest people who we've seen." He smiled sheepishly, hoping they wouldn't take it the wrong way.

"See sweetie." River said, staring at his bowtie. "Doesn't matter where we end up."

"But you love it anyway."

"I hate it."

"No, you don't." The Doctor replied confidently.

Sam watched as they continued to banter, most of their conversation went in through one ear and out the other.

* * *

The three walked down yet another hill. Sam led the way with the Doctor and River following close behind, but were just out of his hearing distance to talk without being overheard. "What did it pick up?" The Doctor asked quietly.

"It was reading a spike in the fluctuation." She tapped another button and the results showed that it was the same kind of energy that she had scanned before in the future.

"Which way?"

"Negative. To what's already established." River replied showing him the scanner.

"So, we're in the vicinity of something which has an influence." The Doctor looked at Sam's back before pointing his sonic screwdriver at him and quickly scanning. He checked the results and then shook his head.

"You think he's part of it?" River asked.

"Readings are _inconclusive _apparently. But...I think we're all a part of it now." He replied seriously as Sam took off at a sprint. They chased after him as he slipped and skidded down an incline.

"William?" Sam cried out. "Billy!" As they ran down the hill, the Doctor and River saw what had made Sam run.

A body lay on the ground, appendages were missing and blood pooled around, slowly absorbing into the grass. Sam stood back a little, afraid to move any closer. The Doctor clapped a hand on his shoulder, pulling the distraught man back. "I'm so sorry, really. I am." Sam didn't reply only nodded, half listening.

The Doctor leaned down and River copied, both looking at clues as to what had happened. "It's like he's been...half eaten," she whispered, aware that Sam was now shaking due to shock.

The Doctor pulled out his sonic screwdriver and ran it over the remains, "Jagged teeth marks." The Doctor pointed out quietly, looking at the indents on Billy's elbow. "Happened in the last hour." He looked up and told them both sombrely.

"What happened?" Sam asked slowly. "An animal attack? I told him..."

"There's not an animal big enough for that kind of bite mark, and if it was, then it would have eaten him. Not left his body behind. Though, saying that, maybe it plans to come back..." The Doctor stood up and scanned the landscape.

River had her scanner in her hand and turned around in a circle. It bleeped intermittently and the radar image flashed on the screen. "No alien life forms detected."

The Doctor pointed his sonic to the sky, "Nothing up there," he said. Then he turned it to face the ground, "Just checking," he told River, who pulled a face because she hadn't bothered to check below the surface. The sonic screwdriver bleeped brashly as it showed the results.

"I thought he'd be sulking, I told him he wouldn't find anything here. No one ever does. All the groups come back empty handed. I told him..." Sam repeated absently.

"It's not your fault." River said, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"I should have convinced him not to bother...he wouldn't have come here...and what is that?" Sam asked, peering at the sonic.

"Sonic screwdriver." The Doctor said with a hint of a grin, "Doesn't do wood, but is good at finding stuff."

"Why, what's it found?" Sam asked hesitantly.

"Whatever killed your friend," The Doctor replied gravely before pointing in front of them, "Is that way."

* * *

Sam was the first to sprint off in the direction. The Doctor shouted after him, "No, wait!" before chasing him. River rolled her eyes and pulled out her scanner, tapping buttons as she ran. "Sam, come back, you don't know what's there!" The Doctor called.

Sam wasn't listening, he raced towards where the Doctor had pointed to, slowing down as he realised that there was nothing in sight. "I don't understand." He turned around as the Doctor and River slowed to a stop beside him.

"You wouldn't." The Doctor said. "Well, you didn't listen to me," he corrected quickly.

"You said to wait." Sam said huffily.

"Not only that, you need to observe." The Doctor said.

"Doctor..." River said slowly, her eyes on neither of the men.

"I was scanning everywhere, unlike River here, who likes short cuts." The Doctor looked at her and noticed her distracted face.

"Scanning? You don't make any sense!" Sam replied frustrated.

"No, that's becoming a bad habit..." The Doctor trailed off as the ground began to shake.

"You pointed that screwdriver thing to the ground," Sam started, "You said you were looking for what killed Billy and that it was here..."

They both nervously looked down at the ground. "I know." The Doctor wobbled on the spot and then jumped to the left as a crack appeared, splitting the earth open. It grew wider and River drew her gun.

"Doctor, get back!" She said as she edged forwards a little as the crack grew wider. Suddenly, a flash of gold flew out of it, they all stumbled back, landing on the ground. "What is that?"

"It's gold!" Sam said astounded as he looked up. They watched as a stingray shaped creature circled them. It was gold, and the sun shone of its exoskeleton. "How can it be gold?" He asked in amazement.

"Yes, gold. Lovely...no actually it's not, because you're missing the point again Sam, while the gold is undoubtedly cool and very shiny, it's the creature that eats it and exudes it onto its skeleton which is what we should actually be worried about." He pointed at the flying Stingray. "That is one of the Swarm."

"A Swarm?" River asked, "As in plural."

"If there is more than one then we're definitely in trouble." The Doctor answered darkly, "Swarm, also known as a Stingray when it's singular." They all looked up as it circled them. Then it swooped low, skimming their heads with its mouth open. They hastened to move out of its way and scrambled to their feet.

"Watch the gaping chasm." The Doctor said helpfully as River took a step back, only to teeter on the edge of the hole. He grabbed her arm and pulled her forwards and then they all crouched down as it swooped back again.

This time Sam could've sworn he could feel the cold breath of the Stingray on his neck. "Run!" He shouted and began to make his way to the trees on the side of the hill for cover.

"Took the words right out of my mouth!" The Doctor shouted back and still holding onto River's arm he pulled her to run after him.

"Wait. Look Doctor. River tugged him back and they both looked down the hole. There was a nest, made up of mangled metal. There were twisted up wires of metal, long thick pieces of lead, chewed up clumps of copper, and nuggets of gold. The remnants of meals.

"Now that's unusual," he noted. Suddenly they were knocked to the ground.

"How about you muse on it later sweetie." River said sweetly as they pulled themselves up to their feet again, eyes on the skies as the Stingray continued to circle, playing with its food.

"Good idea." The Doctor said quickly and they raced away from the Stingray. The trees provided sparse cover and they stood underneath the branches so that they were out of the sight of the Stingray. It continued to circle, but in lazy loops before diving down and burrowing itself into its nest.

They waited for a few minutes until they were sure that the Stingray was deep in the earth and then they walked out from the cover of the trees. "What was that?" Sam asked, turning to the Doctor and River because he knew that they had something to do with the situation.

"A Stingray." The Doctor repeated plainly. He had his sonic screwdriver out and was scanning the whole area.

"An alien." River replied at the same time, trying to explain a little more to the nineteenth century human.

"And we should count ourselves lucky that it's the only one here...must have slipped out of the wormhole somehow and landed here." The Doctor told River as she pocketed her gun.

Sam was silent for a moment, staring at the two. "Both of you are mad."

River shook her head smiling, "I was tested at Stormcage. I'm perfectly sane. Well, just a bit below par, but isn't everyone?" They both turned to look at the Doctor who in turn began to inspect his sonic screwdriver, twiddling it between his fingers. Then he looked up at them.

"It all depends on your perspective, from a-"

River cut him off, "So, the Stingray is quite happy to eat inorganic and organic material?"

"It ate Billy." Sam pointed out miserably.

The Doctor patted Sam's shoulder again comfortingly. "It prefers metal. It eats the gold here. That's why it made a nest. Why leave when you've got a lovely supply?"

"This is the gold rush." River reminded him.

"So the gold isn't here forever, eventually it runs out, and then the Stingray will look to other food sources. Like people. How far away is the nearest town?"

"About a two hour walk." Sam replied quickly, knowing where the conversation was going. Because this whole area was devoid of gold, search parties came and left empty handed. And the nest of twisted metal wouldn't last very long before the golden Stingray decided to forage a little further away from home. "Some of the metal in town's been going missing too. The statue." Sam remembered from the newspaper Mr Smith had complained about.

The Doctor nodded seriously, "Have to get it away from town, away from this planet. Because _it's _not supposed to be here."

River nodded along, "The Stingray was what changed the future," she said as she realised what he meant.

"The whole town's in danger. But we should be able to fight it off." The Doctor nodded his head while he thought.

"Fight it?" Sam asked, his eyes widened.

"Yes, because it'll never get hungry. It'll fly and devour. It's done it before, but it's not its fault, a natural life cycle, hopping from planet to planet in search for new food. But this one is alone, lost. It can't be killed by weapons, not in this day and age."

"What about a ramped up charge on of-" River began her question but she was quickly cut off by the Doctor speaking, his tone and his glare.

"No killing. We are better than that." He looked at Sam, "Aren't we?"

Sam nodded slowly, "But, wouldn't a gun...?"

"It eats metal." The Doctor said bluntly, "The Stingray will happily swallow a bullet as an amuse bouché and then eat you. No, we need something else..." He broke off and there was a flash in his eye that River noticed and recognised with a smile.

"An idea?" River asked.

"Maybe...we don't need to fight it." The Doctor replied as he stared at the landscape. "We need a way to contain it." His hands shaped up a box, "To trap it so that it can't fly off and attack the town. We need to stop it whizzing around first though. I need to go back to the TARDIS." He started to run off.

"Doctor!" River shouted and he stalled.

"What?" He spun around to face her.

"Why do you need to go to the TARDIS?"

"I'm thinking of something." He repeated. "It's being thought of right at this minute." He pointed to his head. "Thoughts...all a' thinking." He paused. "I'll think of something." He nodded earnestly.

"Do you need help?" River asked.

"Nope." The Doctor shook his head. "Although someone needs to stay here to make sure that the Stingray doesn't wander off to go to the shops."

"I can do that." She replied and patted her holster. "It's on house arrest." She grinned at him and he rolled his eyes.

"I'll be back in a bit. After...thinking. Sam, are you coming?"

The man hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Ok."

"Brilliant. Now River, the Stingray seems territorial and so as me and Sam run back to the TARDIS, there's a pretty good chance it'll fly up and try to eat us."

"If you want a distraction, just ask sweetie."

"Please and thank you." The Doctor replied as he walked backwards. Sam followed and they started to jog across towards the hill the way they had walked. River followed them at a slower pace. The ground began to shake and rumble and soon the cracks opened up, splitting the surface of the earth into canyons.

"I can see it!" Sam shouted and then the Stingray flew up, its tail slicing through the air behind it.

"Run!" The Doctor shouted and they both quickly crossed the landscape as River began to fire electrical shots at the alien. A bolt of electricity caught the creature on its left hand side and the charge spread across its body before grounding to the earth through the air like lightening.

The Stingray swooped around as River fired three more shots as the Doctor and Sam disappeared over the hill and out of sight. Then she watched as the Stingray circled in the air then flew down back into the ground, burrowing itself in so that it was safe.

* * *

They reached the TARDIS half an hour later, the Doctor quickly opened the door and slipped inside. Sam stood outside and looked at it. "Are you coming inside?" The Doctor called and his voice was echoey and sounded like it was further off.

"It's a box? You said you weren't the police." Sam called back, noting the white writing on the top of the blue box. He could hear rattling noises, and then a discordant jarring sound which made his cover his ears.

"This is my ship. My TARDIS." He said proudly, "And I'm not the police. It just looks like that, I can't change it...well, I could, but I like it blue." The Doctor replied and then stuck his head out of the doors. "Are you coming inside? I really can't lug this over by myself. Need a little help." He pulled the doors open and pulled Sam in.

"It's...big. Bigger than it looks!" Sam said stunned. "How does that work?"

The Doctor stared at him and then at the console, "In a very clever technical way." He waved his hands to emphasise the 'technical' part. Sam managed to nod his head and blink at the Doctor's explanation.

"Right then!" He clapped his hands. "I think what I'm looking for is in the attic." The Doctor said as he walked around the edge of the console, disappearing from sight. Sam could hear an elated yell from the hole in the floor.

"Doctor?" He walked forwards to see a small gap in the floor. He crouched down to take a closer look. It was a metal chute and lit up by a faint glow but he couldn't see any sources of light. "Doctor, are you there?"

"It's a slide. It's fun." The Doctor stated, his voice echoed up. "Hurry up, I need help. Can't dawdle all day long. Catch of the day is Stingray."

Sam nervously looked down at the metal slide and then crouched down, "Fine, I'm coming Doctor." He sat and then pushed himself down, trying not to scream as the air whooshed past him. He landed in a sprawl and the Doctor helped him up.

"Fun?" He asked with a smirk.

"No." Sam replied as he wobbled a little dizzily, dusting himself off.

"Some people just don't get it." The Doctor shook his head and then turned around. Sam noticed that the attic, which was actually underneath the console room and should technically be the cellar, was cluttered like an old curiosity shop. There was a thick layer of dust on the contents of the room. There were wires and devices and other things stacked up to the ceiling and old wooden trucks labelled with the letters of the alphabet were scattered across the floor. 'E' was by his feet. "Why are we here?" Sam asked as he stepped over the trunk.

"Because I have a sort of idea, which may or may not work. If it does then everything will be fine. If it doesn't, then...well, I predict a lot of running because the Stingray can fly fast." He chuckled, noticed Sam's expression, and the chuckle evaporated. "Look for the 'C' trunk."

Sam asked as he crouched down and turned another dusty trunk around to see the marking on it. It was 'P' so he stood up and moved on to the next one. "Why?"

"C is for chemicals." The Doctor replied as he checked the trunks on the other side of the attic. "Or maybe it's in 'M'?" He turned around and unlocked a trunk behind him which was resting on a plinth.

"Why the different letters?" Sam said as he walked around a statue of the Emperor Kosh of the New Roman Empire and read the inscription which dated him to be a hundred and fifty years old in the year 5630.

"Either it'll be under chemicals or Martonium. It's a corrosive chemical, and in gas form mixed in with oxygen it can be used to strip away metal. The Doctor explained and then groaned as he shut the trunk and moved onto a wardrobe that hummed softly. "Oh, I was supposed to reorganise this ages ago!"

Sam thought he saw something out of the corner of his eye and he turned around. He exhaled sharply as he saw his own reflection, as well as a little girl who held a red balloon in her hand. It bobbed up and down in the breeze. He turned around to where she was supposed to be standing, but couldn't see her. "Doctor?"

The Doctor glanced over, "Oh, just come away."

"There's a little girl in the mirror." Sam said, turned back. The girl had stepped forwards a little, coming into view, her hand was pressed up against the mirror, on the other side.

"Yes. I know." The Doctor said stoically.

"How did she get in? Can we get her out?" Sam asked as the little girl looked stoically at him.

"She's in all the mirrors. Whenever you see a flicker in the corner of your eye and thought you saw someone behind you, it's her. Always her. I know, because put her in there." The Doctor looked at her, an expression mixed of both sadness and anger before he turned away.

"Why did you put her in there? She's only a child." Sam protested, still staring.

"She's not, she's an alien. She wanted to live forever. Now she can. Moral of the story is, be careful what you wish for, and destroy a village and threaten my friends to get what you wished." The Doctor opened the doors of the wardrobe and the quickly shut them, leaning heavily on it backwards. His face was blanched and he scrambled in his pockets his screwdriver. He muttered under his breath, flipped around and then locked the wardrobe shut with the highest setting possible. Sam looked at him alarmed and the Doctor explained with one word. "Facespider."

"I don't think I want to know." Sam said plainly.

"Stuff of nightmares." The Doctor shuddered and then pushed off from the wardrobe. "Right, can't be too long looking for the Martonium or River will tell me off. I think she likes doing that."

"How-" Sam began, but then paused, wondering whether it was a question to ask.

"Hmm?" The Doctor asked as he picked up a large metal object which had a funnel like a gramophone.

"Is she your wife?" Sam asked as he bent down to check another trunk.

The Doctor paused and spun around, "I...don't think...she's not...I've only met her a handful of times. It's quite wibbley to be honest," he said flustered and Sam decided not to question the Doctor further because his face had turned quite red.

"There's a chest here with 'M' engraved on it." Sam pointed out as he crouched down to brush off some of the dust.

"Good!" The Doctor said as he jumped over as Sam opened it. The hinges were stiff and it creaked. The Doctor moved forwards and began to rummage in it. Sam shuffled back and the Doctor began to pile things in his arms with a running commentary. "Ooh, look at this. A magnet from a lovely holiday I took the Ponds on. That's a very large chunk of a meteorite." He dumped the rock the size of his head into Sam's hands and Sam transferred everything to the floor.

"Found it?" Sam asked a few minutes later. He was sat on the floor, surrounded by piles of things. He was beyond amazement, the day's experiences were turning surreal and he noted quite calmly that the amount of objects couldn't logically fit into the chest, and therefore it was much like the blue box spaceship they were inside.

"I think I can see it, just need to take out the Mycallium," the Doctor pulled out a potted plant with giant purple flowers which swayed from side to side, "And, I should be able to reach it." He grinned as he extracted his arm from the chest with his fingers wrapped around a vial with a burgundy viscous liquid inside. "Martonium!"

* * *

They ran up to the console room and the Doctor tucked the vial into his inside jacket pocket. "Back to River then." Sam nodded. "Oh, and you might want to hold onto something." The Doctor gave a last minute warning as he moved around the console.

Sam frowned but caught hold of the railings as the TARDIS swung to the left before the Doctor reached out to the gravitational compensator and flipped it to the right so that they swung back. "I think I preferred the slide!" Sam called as his stomach lurched.

The Doctor only chuckled as he spun the atomiser and twisted the spatula around before swinging the monitor to check the flight path. "Nearly there. Just hang on, it's like a brilliant rollercoaster isn't it?" The Doctor asked gleefully as the TARDIS lurched again, for a moment they were weightless.

Sam only replied by shaking his head and clutching on tighter to the metal rails.

* * *

River was sitting in the shade. Her scanner rested in her lap and she held her gun in her hand, fiddling with the grooves on the handle. She watched the landscape for any movement. But it was quiet and the ground was still. So she had time to think. And after some time she realised that the Doctor was not coming any time soon so she pulled out her blue diary from her pocket.

She sat and thumbed through the pages, flicking back through past moments and memories from the very first pages, her childish scrawl giving way to more neater handwriting. As she neared the pages which were the most recent to be penned, she sighed before shutting it. It was more than halfway through and she didn't like it. So instead she sat with the front pages open before flipping to the pages which had his faces splayed across them.

This Doctor, the one she was with now, was his eleventh regeneration, his eleventh face. And he had a babyface, all young and fresh with bright old eyes that were too curious to let something go. He would be the one to find out her secret, River knew it.

"What will you say when you find out?" She thought out loud with a shake of her head. Then, the TARDIS' engines sounded from behind her and she quickly snapped the book shut and put it into her pocket before standing up. She didn't turn to look at the beautiful blue box, but she watched the ground for any signs of the Stingray unearthing itself.

The doors swung open and Sam was the first out, "Never again," he declared as he wobbled on the spot.

"Oh, don't be silly. That was fancy flying." The Doctor replied with a grin as he strode out. Sam was muttering about slides behind him.

"And there was I thinking it would take a week for you to make your way back. Did you by any chance decide to swing by the Great Leap Forward before remembering I was waiting here?" River asked and annoyance seeped in through her tone.

The Doctor looked a little defensive, "It took a while to find the Martonium." Wondering what she said had been a viable option sometime in his future.

"It was under 'M'" River replied, shaking her head.

"We know that now," he said as he adjusted his bowtie for something to do. Sam nodded his head, but didn't want to get involved in the argument.

"Oh, don't tell me you were looking under 'C' for chemicals." River scoffed, "You really need to sort the attic out sweetie."

The Doctor frowned at her tone. "Don't you want to her my brilliant plan?" He asked petulantly.

"Go on." River said, turning back with a smile.

The Doctor's frown slowly melted off his face as he spoke. "With the Martonium, a corrosive liquid which eats up metal, the exoskeleton of the Stingray will disintegrate, its defence mechanisms will kick in and it'll go into hibernation. Then River and I can take it to another, uninhabited, planet where it can spend the rest of its life happily munching on metal and not people." The Doctor beamed at both of them in turn.

"And how-" River began.

"Oh, I'm getting to that." The Doctor waved his hand and pulled out the vial of Martonium. The red liquid gleamed under the sunlight, and reminded Sam of Billy's blood. "I heat this up, it turns into a gas and then the Stingray will pass through the gas, it'll corrode the gold and it's goodnight Vienna."

River nodded her head approvingly, but Sam was the one to point out a flaw in the plan. "To do that, the Stingray needs to be flying." He looked at both of them and then out to the dip in the green hills. "Only, it's only up and flying when it's trying to eat us."

* * *

It was quickly decided, and reluctantly agreed to, that the Doctor would be the bait. After all, he was used to the running. Sam would be on standby as a distraction, ready to run if the Stingray's jaws got a little close to the bowtie and tweed ensemble. River would position the vial and then use the sonic to heat the liquid to a gas and then pop the cork when the Stingray flew above it.

"And you're sure you won't wait too late?" The Doctor asked nervously as he straightened his tie and brushed down his jacket, mentally preparing himself for the task at hand.

"No." River replied and held out her hand. He unenthusiastically passed over his sonic screwdriver. She grinned and flipped it over, "No red settings?" She frowned when she looked up at him.

He scowled back. "It's a screwdriver, it doesn't need red settings."

She only laughed in reply, "Hairdryers. That's all I'll say."

"More spoilers?" He laughed back and then his eyes narrowed. "Best get running then." He rubbed his hands together, took in a deep breath and then ran down the hill at full pelt, limbs flailing haphazardly. "Geronimo!"

* * *

The Doctor raced across the valley and nervously looked at the ground, watching out for any cracks developing. After about thirty seconds later, the ground began to shake. "Anytime now!" He called to the two who were still standing near the trees.

Once again, the ground split open and the Stingray flew out. It circled once around in the air and then dived down after the Doctor, who looked over his shoulder and gave an unarticulated yell. Sam ran down the hill and soon the Stingray was spoilt for choice, flipping in mid air to turn towards the new human who ran in the opposite direction.

River made her way across to a flat part of the ground and placed the vial down. The Doctor now ran across Sam's path, causing the Stingray to change direction again. "Over here!" He waved his arms and ran faster as the Stingray swooped down and snapped. Sam paused to breathe and then ran over to River, who was now jogging away from positioning the vial while making sure there was a clear eye line to where it sat.

"Ready?" Sam asked and she nodded. They both crouched down as the Doctor sprinted past grinning.

"Ready!" He shouted and ran towards the vial. The Stingray circled in the air above twice before launching itself at the Doctor, just missing him by inches. River lay flat on the grass and pointed the screwdriver at the vial. The Doctor ran past the vial on the ground. It shook a little as the liquid was quickly heated up, turning to form a red gas. The cork on the vial suddenly shot up into the air and enveloped the Stingray.

It batted its tail and the gas dissipated slowly, turning back into liquid and falling to the ground in a red mist. The Stingray flew forwards in the air lazily as the gold on its exoskeleton melted away. It circled slowly, each time dropping in height until it landed on the ground heavily, dragging through the mud and earth and sending up clumps of grass.

"Good job!" The Doctor said as he skidded to a stop, turned around and jogged back as Sam and River walked forwards. The Stingray shifted from side to side before becoming still. The Doctor grinned at River, "Nice aim."

River shrugged nonchalantly but grinned back too. She walked over crouched down to run the scanner over the creature. "It's in hibernation now; it'll wake up when it's in the vicinity of enough metal to replace its exoskeleton."

"I think we'd better get going in that case." The Doctor said as he smiled at Sam. "Nice to meet you, Sam, and thank you for your help." He stepped forwards, "And I am very sorry, about your friend Billy. But we're taking the it somewhere safe, away from people."

"It'll be difficult breaking the news. Animal attack...at least it's as close to the truth." Sam nodded back sadly. "Who are you?" He asked as they were about to walk off to the TARDIS.

"Just," The Doctor looked over to River who looked back at him.

"Passing through." She finished off. "As always."

"From the future? Or another planet?" Sam wondered , the question had been on his mind the whole time.

"From everywhere." The Doctor beamed back and River nodded her head. "I'll get the TARDIS, lower the shields and pick up our new passenger." River nodded as she pocketed her scanner.

"Goodbye Sam." The Doctor said, and he walked away, he called over his shoulder. "Oh, and good luck for the Eureka Stockade! Though, think twice about the guns."

"Eureka Stockade?" Sam looked at River confused.

"Oh, you'll find out soon enough. Spoilers for now."

They turned around to see the blue box fade and disappear from sight which a loud metallic groan, before it rang in their ears. A breeze picked up and River stood by the Stingray. "Goodbye." River said with a wave as Sam backed off as the blue box appeared and disappeared repeatedly from sight before forming solidly in front of her.

"Bye." Sam replied as the box dematerialised from the spot and flew off somewhere new with its temporary passenger.

* * *

The Doctor quickly searched for a small, uninhabited planet which had a high metal content and was out of reach from Level 5 planets. He sent them to River who inputted the coordinates through the typewriter and he pulled the handbrake so that they were flying through the vortex.

"How far back are we?" She asked as the TARDIS landed with a thump.

He checked the monitor, "About, a billion years in the past from 19th century Earth."

"Far back enough?" She wondered, looking at the Stingray which was shuffling and twitching, sensing the metal in the TARDIS.

"Should be, people come exploring in this galaxy in about two billion years, there's not much to see here. The planet, Haglian B, is seventy five percent metal. Plenty of food!"

River opened the doors and the Doctor began to drag the creature down the ramp, River helped by picking up the tail and together they lifted it so that it was out of the TARDIS. "Home sweet home, eh?" The Doctor patted the Stingray's head and then lowered it to the ground as it opened and closed its mouth slowly.

"It's waking up." River warned as they stepped back.

"I can see that." The Doctor commented.

"Do you think it'd be pleased to see its new home, or attack the people who attacked it?" The Stingray flapped its body and flew off the ground slowly. It circled groggily, dipping and rising in height above them.

"Haven't a clue, run!" The Doctor said as the Stingray swooped low. They quickly stepped back into the TARDIS and the blue box dematerialised as the Stingray swooped through the thin air it once occupied.

Inside, River and the Doctor watched the monitor as the Stingray circled once more around where the TARDIS had stood before flying off under the grey skies of its new planet. "So, where to next?" She asked him as they cruised through the vortex.

The Doctor thought for a second before launching into all the possibilities. "Breom Meadows, or the Fighend Moutains. We could go to Nerihn Beta...or the Shining Light Show in Meteo." He continued to rattle off places they could go and times they could visit, travelling as always.

* * *

_Review! :)_


	46. Something Timeless

_Hello. : )_

_Good luck to Doctor Who on the Baftas (and Sherlock) :D_

_Yes, there's some sort of guilt (quite irrational) from not updating for over a month, so here's another chapter. :) _

_So, here's something which sort of invaded my mind after talking to Zoe Alice Latimer about her love for Tim. And then I managed to tie it into Series 6, (something which I'm proud of!) Somewhere a little earlier on than in series 6, perhaps in the gap after series 5? _

_Doctor is 11. River knows him longer. _

_Thanks for the alerts and favourites. : )_

* * *

Something Timeless

Latimer sat in his wheelchair, looking on at the man and the woman standing opposite, across from the war memorial. She was fixing a poppy onto the lapel of his coat and the Doctor looked on at him proudly, seeing him again, knowing that he had lived.

Martha Jones and the Doctor smiled at him, and he smiled back, for two reasons. One was that he was so happy to see them again. The other was because he knew something that the Doctor didn't. While this was clearly going to be his last meeting with the Time Lord, the man of fire and ice, it wouldn't be the Time Lord's last. There would be one more meeting. When they were both looking young...

* * *

Timothy Latimer walked down the main street, his arms swung a little as he moved. It was a warm balmy night and he smiled over the events that had happened. He crossed the road, and the turned the corner before stopping and straining his ears. There was a sound carried by the faint summer's breeze and he had heard it before, just once.

He spun around and ran, following it as it grew louder and louder. The breeze picked up and he paused as rubbish and papers chased around the empty road. A blue box slowly faded into existence. A blue box he had seen before. Latimer smiled broadly at it, but remained where he was, wondering if the Doctor was going to step out, or if he should knock on the door.

Instead, the door creaked open and a woman walked out. Bushy blonde hair and wearing a thick black jacket. "We've landed somewhere land-able. Well done sweetie." She congratulated, leaning back through the doorway into the blue box.

"Don't think that sarcasm's gone unnoticed." A man called from inside. Then he walked out, tweed jacket, green bow tie, young. He felt familiar. Latimer looked closely and was surprised that he could still recognise him. Green eyes so old which had seen so much.

"Doctor?" Latimer whispered quietly and the young man who had exited the blue box turned around and looked directly at him.

"Who is that? I've got a fairly new face, for this particular time at least. Hello? Have we met before?" He called. Latimer didn't reply and so the man and the woman walked over, crossing the street. "Hello." He said politely.

"Good evening." Latimer replied smiling at him, because the man really did look familiar.

"Yes, nice isn't it, makes a change." The woman added, with a pointed look that didn't go unnoticed.

"Oh, stop it, just because they wanted to eat you." The man said, without taking his eyes of Latimer. "You look familiar, only...the last time I saw you...you were younger." He dropped his hand down on his chest as a marker. "About there-ish?" The Doctor grinned as he recognised him.

"Are you the Doctor?" Latimer asked slowly, convinced by the eyes, but wanting to hear it from the man's mouth

"Yes." The Doctor smiled back broadly.

"You changed your face, again." Latimer and his smile turned nervous.

"Changed a lot," he agreed nodding his head wryly, "But look at you." The Doctor slapped a hand on Latimer's shoulder, "What are you doing out so late?"

"I was walking home a friend." Latimer said shyly.

"A friend River?" The Doctor turned to the woman and raised an eyebrow, "Is that so? What's her name? Unless you've taken to wearing floral perfume? And is that lipstick?" The Doctor pointed at Latimer's check. The young man rubbed it quickly, a little embarrassed.

"Oh stop it." River said, nudging him.

"Mandy." Latimer smiled.

The Doctor grinned. "Good on you. Nice to see you again! And how is your friend? You know, with the watch and the bomb? Hutchinson?"

"He's good, he made it back in one piece."

"Excellent!" The Doctor clapped his hands together.

"How are you, where's Martha?"

The Doctor continued to grin, even if it lessened by a fraction. "I'm good. Off seeing lots of brilliant places, times. You know how it is." He waved his hand casually and Latimer nodded understanding.

The psychic link with the Time Lord consciousness hidden inside the pocket watch had given him that, half memories of the impossible man. Sometimes, when he was just about to fall asleep or wake up, he could see stars burning behind his eyes or a new place with different soil and coloured grass. Other times he saw monsters, but he remained in the knowledge that the Doctor had beaten them all.

The Doctor continued a little more excited, "And Martha's fine, got married to Mickey, of all people, but good on them."

Latimer nodded, glad that she was happy. Then he his attention was on River. "Oh, I'm sorry, _sweetie_," the Doctor emphasised the word, "This is River Song, she's an...acquaintance," he looked at her searchingly with a cheeky smile, "Good friend?" wondering if she was going to elaborate.

River smiled back, refusing to divulge her secrets, "Pleasure to meet you." She stuck out her hand and Latimer took it, shaking it. He frowned, but only slightly.

"A lot of running," he commented with a faint smile as he caught glimpses of her future and past.

"And worn out shoes, but that's what you get when you travel with him." River replied, only raising an eyebrow.

"Well, we best be off. Just needed to land to get some food. In the mood for chips...or fish fingers...or maybe just custard. I'm not sure yet." The Doctor said with a smile.

Latimer nodded, "Nice to see you again, sir."

"None of that now. I'm not your teacher anymore. I don't think I'm old enough to pass to be a professor. I used to be one." The Doctor prodded his cheeks. "Apparently, I have a babyface now."

"Hmm, you do, but you can still lecture like there's no tomorrow." River quipped and Latimer laughed.

"So, what are you doing now?" The Doctor asked curiously.

"I was a combat medic in the war and I'm training to be a doctor, of medicine." Latimer replied with a grin.

"That's great!" The Doctor said, his smile grew wider.

Latimer looked at his pocket watch, "I should get going too. It is very late. Have a nice evening though."

The Doctor looked on at the silver watch approvingly. He nodded his head in agreement, patting Latimer's shoulder again, "Yes, you too, it's quiet tonight, makes a nice change." He made to turn away but Latimer spoke again causing him to halt in his tracks.

"Calm before the storm." The young Englishman said softly.

The Doctor turned back and faced him with alert eyes. "Sorry?" River asked.

"The quiet, the stillness in the air, like the calm before the storm. I fear our darkest days are yet to come and skies will grow dark when good men go to war."

"Words of wisdom there." River noted haltingly.

The Doctor looked from Latimer to her, and then back again. "What year is it?"

"1923 Doctor." Latimer replied, a little confused.

"Why? Is that a problem?" River asked with a frown.

"No, not at all." He brushed off River's concern, resuming his friendly smile. "Not at all."

"Food?" She asked and he nodded.

"Yes, we'll be off. Come on Mrs Robinson, you have to try fish fingers and custard." The Doctor shook Latimer's hand and then pulled him into an awkward hug while patting his back.

"Goodbye Doctor, River." Latimer replied softly. He was still smiling at the chance of their impossible meeting.

"Goodbye. Take care." River told him. They stood by as he walked off, hands in his pockets.

Then they too turned around and began to walk slowly. Latimer occasionally turned back to see if they were still there. And they were, conversing quietly, before River slipped her arm through the Doctor's. He could hear them laughing and smiling, perhaps the Time Lord was recounting their tale. One of scarecrows and the Family, of a man named John Smith and Time Lord hiding to be kind. The utmost bravery of humans in facing their fears. Whenever he thought back on it all, sometimes he believed it was like a story or a fairytale. The watch which remained in his pocket told him otherwise.

Latimer turned back one last time before he walked around the corner and thought on the unexpected meeting,_ He really has changed. A new face, as always. A lot more energetic than before, and not so sad either._

_...And there's something about the two of them. Something...timeless. _He smiled as he stuck his hands in his pockets and slowly walked back the way he had ran.

* * *

_Review please! _


	47. Paradoxical Lessons

_On a completely different note, my fanfic 'How Amelia Became Amy' has been turned into a short film called 'AMELIA' by Stephen Willis. It's about what happened in between the twelve years of waiting and basically how little Amelia changed. (Includes fish fingers and custard, Rory being dressed up and a bitten psychiatrist!)The link to the video is on my profile! :D_

_Back to Spoilers..._

_Prompt: Paradoxical lessons  
__Prompter: Virgin in a brothel_

_So, River has said, 'I had lessons from the very best...shame you were busy that day.'  
__And I've gone and elaborated on it! : ) Plus, I've started to learn how to drive..._

_11__th__ and future Doctor, with each knowing more and less. Ditto for River._

* * *

Paradoxical Lessons

"Hello?" River answered her phone, "Doctor? You're late." She told him impatiently.

"Yeah, I'm a little..." She could hear shouting in the background, "Busy...at the moment." The Doctor replied a little breathlessly.

"Where are you?" She asked as she stepped away from her front door, her hand dropped away from the door handle and she leaned against the wall.

"I'm...um...hold on a second," he replied, "Yes, hello. How are you?" He asked, and she could hear the rhythmic pounding of his boots on ground.

"Doctor, where are you?" River repeated.

"Me? I'm somewhere, I'm not quite sure where. But, I am trying to find the TARDIS. I got..." She heard a little yelp, "Yes, I got lost and then I...went to try and find someone to get direction."

River laughed. "Directions, you?"

"Yes, I was lost for a long time. I got bored of walking...and then I found some locals."

"Are you running?" She asked him curiously.

"Yes, away from the locals. They...have...a little tradition of eating on visitors to their kingdom. Lovely people...brilliant headdresses...lots of feathers and stuff. Very cool. But, I'm not too keen on being lunch."

River laughed again.

"It's not funny..." He protested, "I'm sure you wouldn't like being lunch." River heard another yelp. "And, I think I forgot to mention, they have darts...and their aim is impeccable. I think that's the third that they _just_ missed me."

"Why did you call?" She asked, even though she knew the answer.

"Yes, you know how I was going to give you driving lessons...I think we're going to have to reschedule."

"Seeing as you're so busy." She teased gently.

"That too...right River. It seems as though I'm cornered. But, hopefully, I'll see you later. Bye." He told her cheerfully.

"Bye sweetie." River said and heard dial tone ring in her ear. She pocketed her phone and tapped her fingers on the side of the wall, wondering what to do to fill up her day.

* * *

It wasn't long before she heard the thrumming of the TARDIS engines. River walked out of her kitchen with a mug of tea in hand, and watched as her living room was slightly ransacked by an invisible tornado. Papers flew from her desk and by the time they settled on the floor, the big blue beautiful box was parked neatly between her sofa and TV.

The door swung open as she downed the last few mouthfuls of liquid. "Hello! River Song!" The Doctor said cheerfully as he walked out, "Oooh, a bit of a mess in here," he added sheepishly. "Sorry about that."

She walked over, dropping the mug on the table and stood in front of him. "Hello." She beamed, tipping her head to the side.

"Oh, come here, I know you." He gave her a hug and she wrapped her arms around him too. "Nice to see you after so long."

"How long?" She wondered, still holding onto him tightly.

He rested his chin on her shoulder, arms dropped down to his side as he had finished hugging her hello. She on the other hand was oblivious. "About...three months, maybe more, I was stuck on Afazi Nine. Lots of swamps."

"Oh. Yes." She extracted herself from around his neck and brushed herself down while clearing her throat. "So, what brings you to my side of town then?"

He waved his arms haphazardly, "You know, I was just thinking back on things, and I remembered that after I postponed our little TARDIS driving lesson, we never did reschedule."

River thought back to the morning phone call, "Yes..."

"So, I was wondering, if you would like to accompany me on a tour of my fascinating ship and have a driving lesson. Although...technically," The Doctor mused, "You don't drive a TARDIS, she flies."

She smiled widely at him, looped her arm through his and turned towards the door. "Why of course Doctor. I think I've waited long enough!" She teased.

He grinned back, pretending to look at his watch. "Is that so, then we'd better not waste any more time."

* * *

Inside the lights were dimmed, River walked over and flicked a switch underneath the typewriter and the room instantly brightened. "Right then, old girl, where do you think we should go next?" The Doctor asked out loud to his beloved ship. "How about...oh, yes, the Nehim galaxy. A star went supernova in the centre, we can watch it, from a safe distance obviously."

"Sounds brilliant. Which lever?" River asked, her fingers hovering over the console.

"Um, hold on a second. Look, a couple of checks, you see the spatula, yes."

"Yes, it's there." River said as she looked over to it. The kitchen utensil turned from left to right and then back again.

"Brilliant! Always check the spatula is there." The Doctor instructed. "Right now, this is the monitor."

"I know." River replied, swinging it around so that she could see it.

"And," The Doctor continued, ignoring her slightly sarcastic tone. "The monitor scans the outside of the TARDIS and the results can be seen on the screen."

"Right now we're in my living room."

"That's correct." The Doctor looked at her, a slight frown, but she smiled back enthusiastically.

"Are we going to fly the TARDIS now?"

"Yes, that...um...jiggly lever there, yes...no, no, no, no!" He moved her hand across to the next lever quickly before she could pull the other one. "This lever, that one could have blown a hole the size of Bromley-by-Bow!"

"Bad?" River asked.

The Doctor tilted his head from side to side before replying, "Yes. Of course. Blowing holes in space is bad."

"Now, that lever is the handbrake, those blue thingys are the blue stabilisers. Means that there's no shuddering and shaking and stomach lurching. Took me a while to find them to tell you the truth. Actually, they were pointed out to me." He admitted with a wry grin.

"How long?" River asked as she flipped them down.

"Oh, about..." The Doctor started and his voice turned very quiet, but she still thought she heard him say 'four hundred years.'

She laughed anyway, "You must have been a boy racer then, when you were younger." She twirled the wobbly dial around, setting their coordinates for the far future.

"Just a little bit, no, actually I had all the knowledge deleted from my head, eventually I remembered, but I think the TARDIS had given up all hope by then. I even threw the instruction manual into a supernova."

"You have a problem with manuals?" River asked.

"I didn't agree with it." He protested, "And don't forget to release the handbrake, otherwise the noise is horrendous." He patted the side of the console, "I am sorry dear, what was I thinking?" The Doctor asked his ship with a grin.

Suddenly the alarms went off. A loud trilling noise filled the room and the TARDIS jerked, sending them both sprawling over the console. "What happened?" He asked River.

"I don't know!" She shouted back over the din.

"Did you release the handbrake?"

"Yes!"

"And the blue boring-ers?"

"What?"

"The blue stabilisers?" He asked as he pulled himself up. "There, those, blue thingys." He pointed, and then swung around as the TARDIS spun.

River nodded her head, "Yes, yes. I did everything you said...are we crashing?"

The Doctor was silent for a moment. "I think, we're coasting. The clutch!" He realised and raced around the side of the console; he pushed a button with his foot and then pulled on a piece of string attached to the time rotor. "Can you flick all those switches to the purple lights, except the second to last on the third row, make that one blue? Need to stop her from stalling, could end up anywhere...or everywhere."

"Ok." River got to work, flicking the rows of switches. "Stalling? I didn't think the TARDIS could do that, thought she was too sophisticated."

"She is, she a sentient being, last of her kind, grown and carved. Brilliantly blue!" There was a jarring noise and the time rotor froze in the middle of a thrum. The lights flickered for a moment and then switched off. "And...she's stalled."

"How bad is that?"

"Very bad, very very bad. She'll be in a strop now, won't you old girl?" He patted the console as he reached over and pulled on a piece of the string, tugging it with all his strength. "But, it's easy to fix. Just hit that bumpy-wumpy thing with the hammer, yes, give it a good whack."

The lights switched on and the engines were back in motion again with the thrumming up and down of the rotor. The cloister bell sounded, just once, and the ship jerked to the side before straightening out.

"Right, so that was flying." The Doctor announced as the ship was cruising through the vortex again. "And now, lesson two. Making her invisible."

"You can do that?" River asked, a little confused. "I just thought you had a perception filter."

"No, the TARDIS' outer shell can be turned invisible; a drain on the power, a big drain, but it can be useful." The Doctor said waving his hand before reaching down to pull out a huge, thick connecting wire from the console. "This goes into the monitor."

He stepped back from the shower of sparks. "Now, go through the command controls." He instructed and River turned the dial around, "Yes, that one." He nodded, not even looking at where the dial now pointed.

Then he ran around her, flicked a handful of switches and pressed a medium sized clear button. "And, don't forget to link it into the chameleon circuit." He added, River leaned forwards and pushed a slider to the right.

"Done." She told him.

"Right, the TARDIS is now invisible. You can land her anywhere. And it's pretty easy to turn her blue again, just pull out this wire." He tapped the thick grey one he had just connected to the monitor. "Fairly simple."

"Yes, fairly simple." She echoed as she look in the monitor to the view outside, the blue box had effectively disappeared. "Anything else?"

The Doctor leaned over the console and fiddled with a spatula which twirled in time to the time rotor. "I don't think so...although." He grinned and released the handbrake. "Since you're such a quick learner, how about lesson three, parallel parking?"

* * *

The Doctor watched as River spun around the console, she had showed him that she knew how to park it, landing, no, _parking _at the crash of the Byzantium. She had even hung her shoes on the rail beneath the monitor! And he swore that she was fiddling with the console when they were on the way to 1967.

It wasn't much of a stretch of imagination to know that she could turn the TARDIS back to blue, so he shouted to her under the dozen or so Presidential guards in the middle of the Oval office, half suffocated by them, and partly from the blue carpet.

"What else do you, about my TARDIS?" He had asked her, lounging on the staircase just above the console room.

"Everything," she replied plainly.

"You can't know everything," he scoffed, "I only know everything...well, most of it."

"I know how to parallel park." River offered, amused at his disbelief.

"You can't parallel park the TARDIS." He said as he stood up, almost daring her to show him. So she did.

"You see, now, if you flick that dial around, all the way. And you see those buttons; press the second one on the fourth row." She instructed as she pulled the monitor down so that she could see the screen better.

"But, those buttons don't do anything," the Doctor protested, still pushing them. They turned green. "See, they only change colour."

"And where's the wibbly globe got to?"

"Over there." He pointed possibly sulking. She walked around the console and then began to press keys on the typewriter. "I don't see the point in all of this anyway. When am I ever going to need to parallel park?" He crossed his arms and lent against the console, watching every button that River pressed and mentally catalogued it for future reference.

"Now that sweetie," River said as she typed in the final command and the time rotor began to thrum and whir. "Is a spoiler."

* * *

_Review please! _


	48. Life Goes On

_Hello! _

_Like to say cheers for all the favourites, alerts and reviews :)_

_...I'm putting this up before the whole 'game changing, finding out who River Song actually is' episode =S_

_... all these previous chapters...are probably just going to be turned into AU in the whir of a sonic screwdriver... but, this whole series is continuing...most probably with cannon shots._

_So, this is the start of a connected set of three chapters, they have an interconnected thread and fit together nicely. Looks at their relationship again a little more closely and sort of looks at important moments. Hope you enjoy, it was surprisingly easy to write._

_Because I had only touched on this before...and I finally found words for it._

_Lyrics not mine._

* * *

Life Goes On

For the most part Time is a strange creature. It flows, very much like water, from a source onwards. In one direction. People watch the flow, take boats down onto the water and get swept, down and away by the current in that single direction. But that's Time for everyone in general.

Now, for time travellers, things get a little complicated. Because the definition of Time changes into something else. Something a little more malleable, a little more flexible, a little more changeable. It doesn't flow in one constant direction. Rather, it stays the same and you're the one to move. The boat doesn't get swept away by currents and eddies. Instead you can row up and down. Travel to the past, the present and the future and see it all.

Timelines, now that's a different story. Timelines can be seen as the 'boat'. Everyone has their own one. The event of Time passing affects your own timeline and this can be seen in the deterioration of the boat. The saying, '_everything has its time', _can come in to play here. So as the boat is swept downstream, or is rowed upstream, downstream and then back again, damage is sustained. A little knock to the stern, a little scratch down the port side, the bow breaking. Paint peeling off. Time's effect of everything. Building's crumble, people grow old and die, civilisations rise and empires fall, stars burn bright and black holes devour.

But for two people, two time travellers, Time acted in an extremely different way. The Doctor and River Song, both heavily steeped in Time, had their timelines twisted together. They ran through the time stream and touched so many other time lines, so many other people along the way. Backwards and forwards, the time lines ran in opposite directions, each leaving with something different. More or less. Less and more.

And as their timelines ran backwards and forwards, there were a few knots. Places where big events had happened, drawing the strands of their lives together, holding them close. Too big to move around, to ignore. Fixed Points. Her timeline ran in accordance to his for her whole live, shorter than his but in no way less eventful, from start to finish she sailed on Time's most roughest waves. And his timeline didn't run alongside hers, centuries of time before her, without her. The Oncoming Storm whipped up winds and waves grew higher, playing some events into motion.

If something had changed in their own timelines, then the effects would ripple out like a gale blowing through a spider's web, breaking the delicate strands and leaving it dismantled. Both understood that certain things couldn't be changed, no matter how much they wanted to, from betrayals to first meetings and silent goodbyes.

* * *

_On my last night on earth, I won't look to the sky,_  
_Just breathe in the air and blink in the light._  
_On my last night on earth, I'll pay a high price,_  
_To have no regrets and be done with my life.  
__What you don't have now will come back again._  
_You've got heart, and you go in your own way.  
__-L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N, Noah and the Whale_

River stood in the TARDIS doorway, and opened the door slowly before turning back to look at the Doctor. "Here?" She turned around and asked, with a small frown.

"Why not?" The Doctor shrugged back in reply.

He walked down the ramp and ran his fingers through his new hair, all short and spiky, pointing in different directions. She had laughed at him when she first saw him, he looked silly. But he defended his new hair style, pointed out that he'd had worse, and then asked her if she liked it. She replied it was different, but that she'd get used to it. He had swallowed loudly and changed the subject. He was always hiding something when he did that, but she didn't have time to interrogate him, she was busy planning the expedition to the Great Library, he whisked her away nevertheless.

River turned back to look at where the TARDIS had landed, still standing in the doorway. "This is Darillium?"

"You said you wanted to see it!" The Doctor replied with a little grin.

"I did, didn't I?" She smiled back at him.

"Or maybe I was the one who planted that idea in your head. Maybe even a paradox?" He pulled a quizzical face as he pretended to ponder.

River laughed, "Sounds about right then." She leaned back against the rail and pulled him over by his tie. He tugged it back. "What's with the suit? Are you going to be going to some treaty signing after this?"

The Doctor looked down at the navy blue suit, the trousers, the waistcoat with the matching tie and then back at her. "Nope."

"Then why?" River asked him, her eyebrows rose up with her question. "It's practically normal for you," she commented, thinking back in mirth at the countless odd outfits he had a habit of slipping into. "Oh no, don't tell me you have a fez or something on the same ridiculous level in one of your pockets...just waiting for us to step out and walk far enough to not have a point of leaving it in the TARDIS?" She asked him in a warning tone.

"No, no. Hasn't even passed my thoughts." The Doctor said quickly, River hummed in reply.

"You just seem, different today. Like you're distracted." She told him, worried.

"Me? Distracted? No, I'm fine. I'm always fine. In fact, I'm brilliant. Now then River Song, how would you like to accompany me to the Singing Towers of Darillium?" He was smiling again, clearly bouncing on his feet ready to go explore this new place.

"Why Doctor, I thought you'd never ask!" She laughed loudly and took his arm; they walked out as the TARDIS door shut softly behind them with a snap of his fingers.

* * *

It was a long walk to the Towers and they were silent as they trekked over the silver grass. It glinted with a bronze- like tint in the moonlight from the ancient sun that burned at the heart of the solar system. River was extremely quiet and lost in her thoughts as she thought back to a conversation that she and the Doctor had had years ago...

"So, where do you want to go Song?" The Doctor asked as he twirled around the console of his beloved machine.

"What, do you mean now? Or whenever?" She had smirked back.

He had paused, mid-step, slightly thrown by that comment. "What do you mean by whenever?" He had asked back curiously.

"Well, there are lots of places that I want to visit, but we can't visit them all now. Someday, maybe." She replied with a little grin at her mental list.

The Doctor leaned against the railings and then unbuttoned his jacket and tossed it over his shoulder. "What places do you want to visit?"

"Hmmm, well, there are some places that I'm never going to be able to see-" She had started, but he cut in.

"River, need I point out," he pointed a finger to the console, "Time machine."

"Gallifrey."She replied and watched as his face froze. She walked over to him and leaned against the side of the railings. "The way you talk about it, your home planet. Your home, full stop. That red grass in the summer breeze, the sky. The whole planet, one of a kind."

"You would have like Mount Perdition." He commented absently, staring at the air in front of him, his eyes unfocused. "We could've walked to the very top, there used to be snow at the top. And at night, you could see all the stars in the constellation, definitely a sight to see."He turned to face her, "Go on then."

She sighed, "I'd like to see the Great Library. All those books. The entirety of human history on that one planet."

"You can take the archaeologist out of the time period..." The Doctor teased and she prodded his arm.

"Yes, yes, mock the intellectual."

"I'm the Doctor." He pointed out.

"It's a name. You have psychic paper; you could be the Great Scholar of Ancient Cheeses if you wanted to be." River told him.

"Or fezzes." He added with a smirk and she glared at him. "Come on then, next on the list?"

"Maybe, the Medusa Cascade? And I want to see the Shining Light City of Acropolis in the 6335th century." River continued, "And the moment when the human race and the Silurians signed a treaty to make the planet theirs, the Earth shared between both species."

"That was a good moment." The Doctor agreed and nodded his head approvingly.

"You were there?" She shook her head. "Why am I not surprised?"

"Time Lord. I have to time travel; I can't help it if I stumble upon all the cool points in history." He shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly.

"And what about all those times when running was a requirement?" River quizzed.

"Occupational hazard?" He guessed and then looked back for her to continue.

"Oh, I don't know, when you've got the whole of Time ready to be explored, how can you choose?" She asked him with a little grin.

"It's very difficult." He agreed seriously.

She was quiet for a moment as she thought, "I know one place where I want to visit, I don't care if I couldn't go anywhere else, just there with you." She grinned at him.

"And where is that Song?"

"The Singing Towers at Darillium." She had replied plainly. It was a statement.

* * *

Anywhere she could've chosen, before she died, if she couldn't go anywhere but there, she'd wanted to visit Darillium with her Doctor. It was a little odd that he had brought her here now but nice. They were at the bottom of the First Tower now; she looked up to see it, craning her head back and marvelling at the architecture. It was made in the late 63rd Century by both the natives of the planet and some human travellers from New Italy. Hence the slight Gothic design reflected in the metal balconies and the spires. The stone was cut with laser guided tools and it left clear cut patterns, she could see every picture on the Tower and it was beautiful.

"Doctor, I-" She started but he grabbed her hand and pulled her to the stairs, racing up and tugging her along.

"Come on River Song, or you'll miss it all if you blink!" He laughed and the sound echoed off the stone walls. She dragged a hand along the cool walls and could feel the hum of the building.

Years ago, when they were designing it, the natives explained that the planet had seismic activity. It happened every evening when the orbit of the planet took them closer to the old golden sun. They explained that any tall buildings might not be structurally safe, but the humans were adamant to leave their mark on the planet. Together, they had worked on the plans, designed and built two towers. The buildings would convert the kinetic energy from the seismic activity and turn it into music, like giant tuning forks.

As they raced up the stairs they could the humming change pitch, and the further up they went, the higher the pitch became, like a wind instrument, as the sound channelled out through the levels.

"This is brilliant!" River said as they reached the upper viewing balcony.

"I can why this made your list." He replied as they walked out.

As she reached the black rails of the balcony, she could feel the building hum beneath her feet and it made her fingers tingle too. They stood for a moment and looked out over the horizon. The moon glowed a deep bronze as it reflected the light of the sun, the building vibrated under their feet and the grass swayed down below them. It was unlike any sigh she had seen before. Breathtaking.

And then she remembered.

"Doctor, why have you brought me here?" River asked quickly.

He didn't turn to look at her. "I think, the song would sound even better from the roof. Come on." He waved her over to a little door near where the stairs exited out onto the balcony and pointed his sonic there. The other visitors around them didn't notice as the curly blonde haired woman and the man in the blue suit exit a different way to which they came.

"When will you ever learn?" She asked with a mock weary sigh.

"Sonic-ing and entering, completely different story. Just want a better view." He protested and jogged up the small flight of stairs.

The roof was sloped and they slid down to the ridge on the side and sat there. The Doctor played with the edge of his sleeves and then took hold of one of her hands. "No reason." He replied when she asked him why.

"You're all secrets tonight. Anything happen recently?" She asked him, hoping to find out what was wrong.

"No, nothing happened." He stated stoically

"Will happen?"

He shook his head and looked away at her, to the Second Tower. That one hummed in tune to the First. Both together. They had been standing for centuries, and River knew that they would stand for a lot longer. The Trust would take over the care and keep of them. Visitors would walk up the stairs for millennia because it was a beautiful sight. They all wanted to feel the Towers hum underneath their feet too, and for a moment or two, be a part of what happens every night.

They sat there for a long time, most of the night, chatted about some things, past events, a couple of hints dropped about future meetings. The moon slowly crossed the sky, until it hung, suspended in the air before them, round and large. The Towers hummed a little louder. She knew that she was right when she had said it was the one place she wanted to visit.

So she didn't notice that the Doctor had tears dripping off his chin until he let go of her hand to quickly wipe them away. "What's wrong? Tell me, now." River ordered.

He shook his head and let out a watery chuckle. "Can't. Spoilers."

She frowned at him, "Oh." It was all she could say in reply. Spoilers were a line they couldn't cross. They both knew the consequences of that.

He nodded his head again. "Still..." He paused and swallowed, "River, you know I love you."

"Yes. I love you too sweetie." She told him and he nodded again.

"Right then." He grinned at her and stood up quickly, stretching out a hand to help her up. "Shall we go and see the other tower?"

"Yes, let's go."

They climbed up the roof, walked back to the balcony and then down the staircase. Then they crossed the square and walked into the Second Tower. They spent the rest of the night there and then wandered back to the TARDIS as the sun rose. The blue doors swung shut as the first burnt orange rays poked over the horizon.

The TARDIS travelled back to River's time and then dematerialised outside her home. The Doctor opened the doors and she took his arm again as he walked her to her front door.

"Are you sure you don't want to come away with me? We could go to so many other places. The Golden Reefs of Shaklopota? Mageliious Clouds with their shoals of space fish, luminous scales and as big as a planet? Maybe see fireworks on New New New Earth Day? Fly through the Red Spot of Jupiter?"

"All those pretty words...and such a pretty face." River smiled back. "No, next time though, if I don't come up with somewhere extraordinary. I have to pack, the Great Library expedition." Her excitement showed through the wide smile which stretched across her face. But the Doctor looked upset again, just for a split second his eyes looked as though they were hiding something immensely sad in their depths.

Then he blinked and patted her shoulder, "Yes, all those books, you're bound to find somewhere to go. Somewhere nice with green grass. Perfect place."

"What, none of your archaeologists jokes?" River teased.

"No, I think you know them all now. I'm going to need some new material," he said thoughtfully.

"You'll have some time to think. I'll be gone for about three days depending on what we can find. Getting Lux to sign onto the trip was a nightmare. But, it's done and we leave in two days. We'll be able to find out what happened, why all contact with the planet was cut. What happened to the thousands on it...?" She trailed off and looked at him suspiciously. "Do you know anything?"

"Me, nope. Not a thing," he replied as truthfully as he could.

"Right, because you'd tell me, wouldn't you. A hint of a spoiler?"

"Of course," The Doctor said. Then he tilted his head as he patted down his jacket. "Here, you never know when you'll need this." He passed over his sonic screwdriver and she took it.

"Really?" She said in surprise. "You never give me your sonic. Oh, and look, you've finally added on red settings." She flipped it over and ran a finger over the little button on the side. "Hairdryers." She shook her head slowly as she remembered.

"Something was bound to sink in." He shrugged.

River pulled her key out of her pocket and slotted it into the door. "Coming in?"

He stared at her for a long moment and then looked down to the doorstep."No, not today." He shook his head. "Although, a nice chicken salad is good for expeditions."

She slapped his arm gently. "I'll see you soon sweetie."

"Of course you will. Goodbye River Song."

"Good bye Doctor."

He stood as she unlocked her door and then she paused, turned around and kissed him. She was also the first to break away, "You know, all these times we've had, will have, I wouldn't change it for anything."

"Me neither." He agreed and gave a little wave as she stepped into the doorway and shut the door after her, leaning heavily on it, out of sight and slightly confused. But she had seen him again and felt alive once more. He walked back to the TARDIS slowly and the blue box dematerialised with the handbrake firmly on. The sound of the engines was the last thing River heard as she walked away from the door and into her kitchen.

* * *

They were the stuff of legends.

They were a fairytale.

Their story wasn't the most famous romance.

Their story wasn't the most famous tragedy.

Others had run so much further.

Others had run so much faster.

Their story included spoilers with every meeting.

And it was written down in two TARDIS blue diaries.

* * *

_Reviews would be the most awesomeness (I love neologisms, don't you? Bumpy-wumpy!) We'll find out who she really is in days!_


	49. Happily Ever Beginning, Sadly Ever After

_Prompt: the surfing bit.(I have to admit, no knowledge of surfing...at all, all made up from watching the titles of Hawaii Five-O and Lilo and Sitch!)  
Prompter: DoctorRiver_

_(edited slightly after watching 'A Good Man Goes To War'. Surprisingly __no explicit spoilers__, so if you haven't seen the episode, no worries, read on! Oh, and I've also gone and labelled the AU chapters which don't fit into the cannon which has now been cemented! (That episode was great :D I'm very emotionally invested in the frankly brilliant storytellings of the DW writing crew.) However spoilers for Day of the Moon...and if you haven't seen it...you really should!_

_And yes, I'm hedging my bets on that third bit. I hope this works!_

_Definition of this chapter in general: her knowing more, him knowing less._

* * *

Happily Ever Beginnings, Sadly Ever Afters

As she considered it she realises that it's very much like the stars she used to watch when she was younger. The brightness of day filling her eyes but knowing that the stars burned in the sky waiting for the sunset and for the horizons to shift and tumble forwards. Then as the skies grow dark, the stars can be fully seen. They were there the whole time, but in these few moments, it's when you can see them for what they truly are.

She thinks about it more as she meets him in this particular regeneration, once, twice, three times, and knows that things are very much the same. And by the time they meet for what is her last time, him with a different face and the youngest eyes she's ever seen, she understands it all for what it is.

She thinks back on her time, all of it. It occupied her days in that dull grey cell at Stormcage, she has nothing better to do, and after all she lived for the days she ran with him. Then she returns to her punishment, prison food, four grey walls and the guards who look at her with fear. She could leave, and she does leave to see him, but she always comes back because it's the right thing to do. She had promised.

When she leaned against the cold metal bars and shut her eyes tightly, squeezing them close so that the hot tears wouldn't escape, the past few moments echoed in her head. _'Aren't you forgetting something?' _She had joked. And he stared back at her blankly. Oh, he hadn't a clue. She had thought he was playing games with her, thought he was being cheeky.

But he wasn't. Not even a bit.

'_That was good.'_ He replied after she kissed him, arms flailing awkwardly. That was all he said. She had wanted to scream, 'What do you think you're playing at?'

Instead she kept calm and explained, in general terms, '_your firsts are my lasts'_, ignoring the drowning feeling that was creeping up on her heart. It felt like she was hyperventilating, and it thudded so loudly in her chest. But there was calmness in her mind, clarity in her thoughts and she could think straight for the first time in months. The months she had spent waiting to see him again. And this was the time she could speak easily with him, not having to worry about running from the FBI or watching over her shoulder for the Silence.

As he walked back to the TARDIS and the sound of her heartbeats filled her ears, she knew that time was running out for her. The sand was dropping away in the top bulb of the hourglass, slipping down. Becoming his time to come. River wondered idly how long she would have left. She could take an educated guess that he'd find out who she was very soon. And after that, a whole universe full of spoilers.

But she had told Rory of her fears, _'One day I'll look into his eyes and he won't know me...and I think that will kill me.' _That had been the thought which made her heart speed. Because she wasn't afraid of dying. She had stared death in the proverbial face too many times for that to happen. There was fear because he wouldn't know her at all. No recognition, not a smile, not even a wary glance when that time came around. Her countdown had begun and she wondered where it would leave her.

Then again, it had started so long again. The day she had first met him. He looked amazing. He fell from the sky, a madman who was utterly mad and rescued her. The Doctor. Oh, it was the biggest spoiler of them all, him standing there and beaming at her. And then, of course, he had to open his mouth and speak utter nonsense.

* * *

When she was in the Great Library, her life flashed, just a little before her eyes as she hooked herself up to CAL's mainframe ready to download the people saved in the data core. She remembered the good moments, the ones which made her smile. The ones which were written so lovingly in that blue diary. Those moments which were treasured. The ones which made her stand up and walk on. Each one shined so bright in her memories and she couldn't help but relive them...

She had stood on the ramp inside the TARDIS, arms folded and just a little annoyed because he wasn't answering her questions properly. "I thought we were going to Darillium." She had said a little petulantly.

She had been so young; they raced across the universe, visiting everywhere. A never ending scramble for seeing new stars and sights. They couldn't stop; she filled up her eyes, for him it was an old addiction, and so neither would stop running nor slow down.

"I said I'd take you one day...just not today." The Doctor replied with a wry grin.

"Alright then." She conceded, "Where _are_ we going?"

He flung open the doors, "The Melodious Second City of Song." He announced dramatically.

"Nice?"

"Very nice, come on River." He said as he took her hand.

He took her to the port, where they hopped onto a rickety old hovercraft which had seen better days. They lurched over the city, the engine stalled a few times and she shrieked, partly with the fear of plummeting onto the city below, as he attempted to fix it so that they could end up where he wanted them to go. Turned out that his sonic screwdriver could fix anything.

A short but eventful trip later she was standing in the middle of the city. Right at the heart of it, inside a large hollow. They had walked down the steps carved into the earth out of the walls and lead down to the bottom a few hundred feet below. A glass dome stretched out above them, letting in the bright mid morning sunlight.

"So this is why it's called the Melodious Second City of Song." She breathed quietly, her ears filled with sweet music.

The Doctor grinned at her, half hidden behind a plant which had large leafy green appendages. "Of course." He whispered back.

"Of course." She had repeated. Listening to the flowers sing. Their petals were unfurled and their insides were of bright vibrant colours of every shade under the rainbow. They looked stunning, and the music was indescribable. Low bass tones and muted notes reverberating through the soil with trilling high pitched symphonies weaved around the air above her, infusing it with their melodies.

"It's beautiful." She told him as he walked around the tree back to her.

"Yes, I do believe it is." He agreed before kissing her.

* * *

They visited a planet in the far flung future where the skies glinted like emeralds, clouds of shining silver. They always had a silver lining. She was young then, and he looked young too. They matched. How they laughed. There was a beach, with pale golden sand. She walked down, dragging her green rented surfboard, and he followed, hoisting his own blue one on his shoulder.

"River, this whole sea has, supposedly, the best waves in this entire galaxy." He had told her, chuffed that they had landed exactly where they wanted to go, on a day when the deep blue waves rolled inwards carrying the few surfers already out on the waters on their foamy rolls.

"It looks brilliant!" She exclaimed happily, keen to get out on the water. She was always, and would always, love an adventure. She glanced over her shoulder and looked at him mischievously. "Over a millennia, Doctor...I wonder how well you can surf."

"Me...surf?" He pointed at himself, "Time machine River. I was taught by the very best. George Freeth, also known as the _man who could walk on water._" He grinned back at her. "Which means, I'm most probably better than you, but don't worry, you're a quick leaner." He complimented.

They had reached the water now, and began to paddle out. "As long as you keep your balance." He added, "You should be fine."

She couldn't pass up such an opportunity, "Balance, Doctor, something your famous for?" She asked, as she paddled a little closer, the tip of her surfboard knocked into the side of his.

"I think I'm pretty good at standing on my two feet, something you grow into appar-" He hadn't the chance to finish the sentence as River stuck her hands out and pushed him off his surfboard. He landed in the warm water with a large splash and spluttered, spitting out water.

"Right then Song...seeing as you think you can surf. Best out of three." He declared, pulling himself onto his board again.

"Ready when you are sweetie." She called back as she spotted a wave rising up. She looked over to him, utterly drenched. "Because I am."

Their first go both surfed back to the shore easily as the wave pushed them along smoothly and both acknowledged that the other was a decent surfer. On the second go, the wave was a little bigger but also rougher and they slipped back and forwards past each other leaving frothy patterns on the waves as they rolled over. They reached the shore at the same time.

"Last chance to win," he said. He grinned at her before turning around and paddling back out.

"Or to lose!" She called back and laughed.

"Never!"

He reached the wave first, and pulled himself upright. This one was the biggest of the lot and the Doctor jerked a little before he crashed into the watery wall, falling through the wave and then out of sight.

She grinned a little as she saw him scramble for his surfboard and she stood up, riding the wave back to the shore. He dragged himself back, begrudgingly nodded his head while she laughed openly at his sulking face.

"What was that about your ability to balance?" She wondered aloud, seeing his face darken a little more. He was truly sulking now and she watched his mouth quirk a little. "And there was me thinking that a millennium of standing up would be beneficial, perhaps you should have sat down for a little while."

He huffed in reply as she pulled him down to sit next to her on the sand. The surfboards lay abandoned a little way of. The tide was slowly making its way up the shore. "Are you still sulking?" She asked curiously, after a few minutes of silence.

"Don't be silly...how old do you think I am, four?" He asked with a lazy grin. The sun slowly passed out from behind a cloud, making everything brighter.

"Sometimes..." She teased; they always ended up falling back into their usual pattern of flirting, teasing and joking. River honestly believed that this was the best part of running with him, the times they slowed a little, sat and were themselves.

"Childish? Nah, don't think that could ever happen..." He added as he realised what she meant, "It was a museum of bow ties...and the modern art exhibition included that lovely painting that Andy did for me. Of course I'd get a _little_ excited. Which reminds me, I have to visit him on a Thursday, he hasn't got this face yet." He poked his cheek.

"It's a pretty face." River nodded, leaning into him. She kissed his cheek and felt his mouth turn up in a smile.

"An improvement on the baby face?"

"Now that." She poked his chest, "Is a trick question, I love all your faces just the same."

"But this face is the prettiest?" He asked for clarification, eyes wide and innocent looking. He was pulling her leg and she knew it.

"Absolutely." She had replied, just to shut him up.

* * *

They sprinted down another corner of the confusing maze of rocks; somewhere behind them was a Rethion with red eyes and ferocious teeth and claws waiting to rip them open. "Oh, I hate you sometimes!" She said breathlessly, he was holding onto her hand, pulling her forwards.

"But all the other times when you do love me outweigh it, don't they?"

He would always retain the ability to be humorous, even when their lives were in danger, no matter which face he had. Those eyes still twinkled mischievously, the echo of each and every single regeneration she would meet.

"Right, now, I'm not so sure." Her legs were burning from running for so long. "How about the next time you find a dark cave, you don't blunder inside and then prod your sonic into the side of a slumbering monster?" She offered.

"Why, will that make you love me more?" They paused to catch their breath and she scanned the area around them for the Rethion.

"You are impossible sometimes."

"I know someone like that too. Doesn't it drive you crazy?" He told her over his shoulder as he turned in a circle, sonic screwdriver extended out, buzzing quietly.

"I-"

"And we're off again!" He said, cutting her off as they saw the fearsome claws slice through the rock wall feet away from them. Chunks crumbled and hit the floor with heavy thuds.

By the time they reached the TARDIS they collapsed inside the doors and he pointed his sonic to the console. The time rotor began to move in the central column and they were off into the time vortex before the Rethion reached the bluest of blue doors.

They lay on the floor by the ramp, just breathing and tired from running. "River, how long do you want to stay with me for?" The Doctor asked after he caught his breath back.

"What kind of a question is that?" She asked him, lifting her head a little to see his face.

"I don't know." He had replied truthfully.

She nudged him with her elbow, "One you know the answer to."

"Really?" He looked a little surprised.

"You know that I want to stay with you forever, not necessarily running all the time..." She pulled herself up to her feet, a hand stretched out and he took it, hoisting himself up to his feet too.

"Stop it." He nudged her back, "You know what I mean," he said seriously. He acting nervous and awkward, she could see it behind the seriousness of his voice. Uncertainty. She felt it too. Like they were standing on something which had been there all along, only to now just realise. Then again, they could sometimes guess the spoiler too, that they were heading for something big.

"What would I be called then? Mrs Doctor?" She asked slowly, regarding his expression which turned to one of delight. She found herself beaming too.

"Really!"

"Yes, sweetie."

"But, Mrs Doctor? Doesn't quite have a ring to it, does it?" He tilted his head to the side, pondering. She loved that look.

"Do I get a ring?" She asked curiously.

"If you want." He replied. "I know." He leaned forwards so that he could whisper in her ear, his full name. His real name. "How about that, River Song?" He smiled at her.

"Sounds perfect." She had replied with a happy smile too, fingers intertwined as they walked up the ramp to the console hand in hand.

* * *

They smiled. They laughed. They loved. They fought. They feared. They ran...

And it had been good. All of it. For the bits which weren't, she couldn't change them anyway, wouldn't want to either because they had led to so much more.

She had found that first impressions changed. That the impossible madman in the blue box would change with time too. He'd be brilliant, fantastic, clever, an idiot, she'd hate him, funny, she'd love him. It would be so exciting and terrifying all at the same time. Her view of him would change so much until he was so much to her.

Time after time she dropped everything. She'd leave her life and then run off with him without a care to what would happen. Or a backwards glance. She could run off with the Doctor and come back to an entirely different world and she wouldn't care. Then she'd sit impatiently and breeze through the days wondering when he'd fall out of the sky and into her life again.

She had left behind so many things, some were important, others not so much. Some of them could have changed her life entirely if it weren't for him. She left behind her life, River Song the archaeology student and became River Song the time traveller.

She had walked out of exams, she ran out on friends, disappeared off the face of the earth, or planet in several cases, for days, sometimes even weeks. But every time she came back, she had a smile on her face. Always. Because he was brilliant.

So when she was seated on the chair and he slowly woke up, she told him that she wouldn't change a thing. Not a single moment. He didn't understand then, not knowing her, he wasn't _her_ Doctor. The photograph from before she had met him. He was still incomplete. Not affected by their meetings. But somewhere, she could see _her _Doctor in there too, hidden underneath, just there in his grin, the determination, how he laughed, and his attempt to end things peacefully.

But he didn't know her and for once, just that once, she understood what it was like to know all of the spoilers. How he had felt that moment he fell out of the sky and into her life. It made her feel very old, like their whole history weighed down on her shoulders. A comforting feeling nevertheless. But seeing him again also made her want to run off with him so that they could write their whole story all over again all across the stars and through time.

In some way, some mad strange way, it made it easier to sit down in the chair and start the countdown. Somehow, she was ok with it. She knew had to be the one in the chair so that he could see her in the future. For there to be a '_them'_ in the future. It was the only option she could see.

Because he was there and there was everything to come. Because she was somewhere in the past and future just waiting for him. And they were always running.

* * *

Their story was a paradox.

Their story was told in loops.

Their story was something that had never come before and would never come again.

Their story was a tale, a tragic romance involving a death of a good man.

They did run fast and far.

They also stood still occasionally, to feel the turn of time under their feet.

One would always know less and the other would always know more.

* * *

_A review from you would be extremely nice. :) _


	50. Somewhere Out There

_Hello! To all who have reviewed, favourited, alerted: Thank you!_

_I know the last two have been a little sad, this one's a little happier!_

_Spoilers for A Good Man Goes To War._

_The 50__th__ chapter! XD  
_!^-^!

* * *

Somewhere Out There

But while she dreaded the day she would meet him for the very first time, his first time, the Doctor took a different approach. He looked forward to the day he would meet River Song for her first time.

Because little did she know that dark, ominous tunnels echoed loudly, and that he had exceptional hearing. While she was talking to Rory the Roman, he listened quietly as he searched for clues in that old abandoned warehouse.

"_When I first met the Doctor—a long long time ago—he knew all about me. Think about that. Impressionable young girl and suddenly this man just drops out of the sky. He's clever and mad and wonderful and... And knows every last thing about her. Imagine what that does to a girl."_

He suppressed a laugh at her echoic words, found that his eyes were watery and he blinked them quickly. Because she didn't know of the impression she had left on him from his first meeting. And what an impression it was. A woman with old eyes, very much like his, that had seen so much.

A stranger of a woman who knew his name, told him that there was so much more to come and then saved everyone. And as he searched in the dark warehouse he wondered about the impressionable young girl she would be, and how much he would know about her to leave such an impression. He smiled at the thought, just thinking about how brilliant it would be.

* * *

"Tell me who you are." He had demanded. He was angry, so angry. He had run to her every single time she had called, wherever and whenever even though he didn't know her. Even though people had warned him of her, she herself had told him that she had killed a man. He wanted to know who she was.

River simply skipped back and laid a hand on his old cot. "Can't you read?" Then he noticed what she meant. He could feel his mouth drop open.

"You...and we..." He mimicked kissing, she was smiling at him.

He then let out a surprised, very nervous chuckle. He thought this was the dictionary definition of spoilers. He looked back at Amy and Rory who were still completely confused, their utterly bewildered little human faces, and he wished for a second that he could stay to see their reaction. But...he had to fix things.

"How do I look?" He asked, adjusting his bowtie, straightening it up ever so slightly.

"Amazing." She smiled, knowing exactly where he was going, and exactly what he was going to do.

"I'd better be."

"Yes, you better be."

So he said his hasty goodbyes and then ran into the TARDIS. First meetings, how cool. He'd be '_the mad impossible man who fell out of the sky'._

* * *

The Doctor was sitting on a chair, facing a screen which was transmitting a live video feed.

"You know, there are people who are not going to be happy about this." He tugged at the super strong handcuffs made out of titanium alloy mixed in with metal forged in the heart of a dwarf star, along with some stainless steel for the shine. They were effectively unbreakable, _and_ he couldn't reach his sonic in his pocket.

"There is no one, Doctor, who could break into that room. You will stay here until you divulge the secrets to flying your TARDIS." The gruff voice replied rather stoically. It belonged to a certain Rutan Commander General. Also known as Mordric the Mighty. The Doctor had done his best to suppress an eye roll when he was so charmingly introduced to him after being kidnapped while walking through the Tree Garden on Hadnin. He hadn't been able to bite back a little witty remark on his kidnapper's name either.

"Ooh, now that's a change. Because half an hour ago you wanted to know how to open it. Does that mean you're inside my beautiful ship?" The Doctor would have leaned forwards with curiosity if his chains were a little looser.

"Our taskforce has successfully breached the inner control room. Tell me how to make it fly." The Rutan ordered.

"No." The Doctor replied plainly with a pleasant but weary grin. He was a little worried about them actually breaking into the TARDIS, but he was sure that she could take care of herself for a little while. He smiled a little wider. "Has she got you in tangles with a corridor loop?" He asked a little cheekily.

The voice was silent, refusing to reply.

"Yeah, she tends to do that when she annoyed, mostly after some big explosion from me not monitoring the wibbley lever as much as I should, but to be honest, it's only me flying her and it can get a little troublesome times." He attempted to shrug his shoulders in a _what-can-you-do_ way, but found he couldn't.

"Tell you what though, you should leave, you really should. She won't be happy to know you're trying to make her fly against her will. In fact, I think she'll skip from being just cross, to plain angry. And you really don't want an angry TARDIS on your hands." The Doctor warned the Commander General Mordric seriously.

"Doctor, you will give up the secret to time travel!" Mordric the Mighty barked.

"I think we're going to be here for a while." The Doctor shifted in his seat, attempting to loosen the chains wrapped around him made up of the same metal alloy as his shiny metal handcuffs. "Do you think you could send some fish fingers and custard down? We are down? Or are we up somewhere? I can't quite remember..."

There was a loud explosion and the room shook. The screen fuzzed up for a moment before clearing again. Mordric's face was redder than normal, and he had leaned in to examine the Doctor's holding room.

The door had been blasted off its hinges, teetered backwards before falling forwards with a loud crash. It threw up some dust. The Doctor couldn't see who had caused the destruction but from the look on Mordric's face, it wasn't one of his soldiers.

"I hope that's room service with some fish fingers and custard," he called cheerfully.

"No sweetie, you were supposed to be the one taking me out for a treat." River Song called, holstering her laser device which had neatly blasted the hinges into metallic dust. "I waited-"

"I know, I told him, people would be waiting for me, but did he listen?" The Doctor protested loudly but River walked forwards, glaring at the screen.

"As I was saying, I waited five and a half hours-"

"Five and a half hours, always a good time to wait!" The Doctor commented.

"And then I waited an extra half an hour in case you had been a little waylaid."

"But I wasn't. Six hours then, oh..." The Doctor pulled a wincing sort of face.

"Exactly, and then I realised that you might not have been so waylaid after all."

"No, in actual fact, I was a bit tied up." The Doctor grinned up at her, pleased about his pun.

"You will not escape." Commander General Mordric shouted into the speakers and the screen fuzzed up a little once more. "You will tell me the secret to piloting the TARDIS; the Rutans will win the war!"

The Doctor shook his head. "Getting a TARDIS will not help you in any way. You can't change time. I won't allow it."

River reached between the chains and delved into his pocket to pull out his sonic screwdriver. She could have used her laser cutter but it tended to be a little over kill, and she didn't want to ruin his jacket either. She aimed it at the chains and then he was free. "Not hurt are you?" She asked quietly.

"No, just a little fuzzy from the tranquiliser." He said, pulling another face and she smiled at him.

"Besides, I think River's rather angry with you for detaining me," the Doctor called a little louder, directing his words to Mordric the Mighty with a little smile as he stood up.

"I am." River agreed with a sharp nod. "Six hours of waiting."

"I think I have some Jammy Dodgers in my pocket, just a snack?" The Doctor offered helpfully, rooting in his left jacket pocket.

"In a few minutes," she told him with a terse nod.

'_She's really angry,' _the Doctor mouthed behind her back. He leaned forwards and watched to see what would happen next.

"I am patient, but, my patience ran out waiting for six hours. Therefore, you get one chance, retract your troops from the TARDIS and let us walk out of here, now." River stated coolly.

"That advice I gave you about the TARDIS, well ignore that and take this instead, you really don't want to go up against River. I know I wouldn't." He grinned like a schoolboy who was watching to see whether a chemistry experiment was about to fizz over or explode violently. He had hoped for fizz, but the Rutans liked a fight.

"If the Doctor decides not to hand over the secrets to time travel, then he and his companion is no use to us. You will be killed." Mordric said, leaning back in his chair with reluctant acceptance. He had hoped that he would have an advantage in the war, but they still had the time machine so all was not lost.

"Right then." River said a little too cheerfully. This tone caught the Doctor's attention.

"River...you knew exactly where to find me? How long ago did you leave from Stormcage? You've been longer than six hours..." He asked as realisation swept over him.

River didn't reply. "Oh, only a few hours longer..." She trailed off and pushed up her sleeve to flip open her vortex manipulator. She pressed a couple of buttons and it bleeped loudly. The Doctor leaned over her shoulder to see.

"Your teleporting something...what are you teleporting?"

"You'll see," she told him; her voice was tinged with mystery.

There was a flash of bright light as the engine of a Rutan war ship materialised into the holding room and River and the Doctor had vanished into thin air. Mordric the Mighty threw himself forwards at the screen and his enraged shout was drowned out by the sound of the holding room, and a large section of the ship exploding due to the little present of an overloading war ship engine River had teleported up several floors.

The Doctor and River teleported to a corridor. He stumbled forwards a little but she grabbed his braces and pulled him back. "Where are we, and what did you teleport?"

"We're a corridor across from the TARDIS...and I teleported the engine of the ship into the room we were in."

"The engine?"

"Overloaded it first of course."

"River, that's like...arson!"

"They kidnapped you!" She protested lightly and he shook his head. She liked guns and blowing things up, add that to the graffiti the oldest cliff face in the universe, he knew he should say something...but in truth, he felt that now wasn't the time, especially since she was already a little angry. He did however make a mental note never to be late for a meeting. A woman scorned and all that...

"Besides, you never really complain . And it's not like you want your little holding cell to be preserved," she added with a little smirk.

The Doctor pulled out his sonic screwdriver and scanned the area quietly. "TARDIS is that way."

"I know." River said.

"Do you?"

"I haven't done anything, I found through the ship's computers. They diverted a lot of power to unlock her. But from what I could see on the cameras she isn't damaged."

"Good." The Doctor said as they began to run down the corridor to the blue box.

River blasted the door off the hinges once more and they stepped through. A cluster of Rutans stood, half with their guns pointed at the Doctor and the other half pointed their guns at River. "Hello." The Doctor said and he gave a little wave as they walked towards the TARDIS situated in the centre of the room.

"Don't mind us. We'll just be off on our way." River added, tossing a silver globe over her left shoulder as they reached the TARDIS doors, it clattered as it hit the floor.

The Rutans quickly retrained their guns on the globe before they realised what it was. River and the Doctor reached the barrier of computers around the TARDIS. They stepped neatly over it and the guns were quickly aimed on the two again.

River turned around to the soldiers, "You're really going to have to choose soon."

The Rutans looked at each other and then watched as the silver globe began to hum. They chose quickly and then raced to the door.

The Doctor quickly stepped past the computers and opened the TARDIS doors. He called loudly as he walked to the console. "It's alright dear, they've all gone. River chased them all away."

"It was nothing, although, I wasn't too happy about the hold up."

"Yours or mine?" The Doctor asked.

"Well, it was waiting in general. Time machine."

"Right then, well...where were we planning on going to...oh, I remember! Poosh!" He began to dash around the console and pulled levers before swivelling around the monitor to turn the dials. "You know, once upon a time, there was a lost moon of Poosh."

"No, I didn't." River said curiously, dropping her sonic blaster onto the chair behind her.

"And I have to say, River Song. Best. Rescue. Ever." The Doctor added before throwing up the handbrake.

"Ever?"

"Ever." And he should know. This meeting was hinted at by her a fairly long time ago. And other rescues had happened where she had jumped in to pull him out from trouble. Her last rescue. Then, well...it was his turn.

* * *

"Ok River. Just hold on for about thirty more seconds," he called from the TARDIS, swinging the blue box around in the air so that he was closer.

"Are you sure?" Her words were whipped about from the wind as she ran.

"Yes. Trust me."

"I do!" She shouted back. "Now?"

"Yes."

"Jump!" He shouted and she did.

River Song dived off the top of the spaceship and her jacket flapped in the wind, the ends billowed a little behind her. The Doctor couldn't but liken it to Rory the Roman's equally Roman red cloak. Rather dramatic. She flew for a split second of time. Her hair was pushed back as she twirled through the air and he checked once more that the TARDIS doors were directly in place, the rope was hanging out, ready for her to grab onto.

"River!" He called as watched as she plummeted down past him and he wrapped the rope around his wrist again. The rope in his hands suddenly gained weight as River fell through the air and then grabbed it.

"Doctor!" She called from below the TARDIS, "You can pull me up now."

"Right then!" He chuckled and began to slowly pull her up. As he did so, he could see her hands grab onto the floor of the TARDIS. She pulled herself inside and then stood up quickly. "Did you get it?"

"Of course I did!" She waved the small black cube in her hand.

"And was the jumping of the spaceship really necessary? I could have easily landed the TARDIS inside."

"It was extremely necessary," she told him seriously.

"You know, I'm not always going to be at your beck and call for whenever you decide to launch yourself off a spaceship." He reminded her, vaguely remembering he had already said this to her before at the crash of the Byzantine.

"Yes you are." River replied with a smug little grin and he considered his words for a moment.

"Anyway...let's return this back to the Milmonths." He pointed to the cube in her hand, an ancient relic of the race which had been stolen, and she had offered to return it in exchange for a week in low security. Most probably because it was slightly easier to break out from.

* * *

The Doctor watched over River Song as she grew up. To him, he could see how things would end, he knew it was something _fixed_. As for everything in between, all those spoilers, they were all in _flux_ and just waiting to happen.

"Are we ever going to have a linear timeline to spend together?" River had asked him once. They were sitting on deckchairs watching the Great Leap Forward begin. A small cluster of spaceships were leaving with a hundred thousand or so humans who were off to find their place among the stars. The rockets blasted orange and red flames before cutting off as they reached the upper atmosphere.

"Spoilers," the Doctor told her as he took his eyes away from the spaceships.

"You always say that,"

The Doctor grinned at her. "I know, but so do you."

"I do, do I?"

"Spoilers." He repeated with utter certainty.

"Really?" She raised an eyebrow.

"All of it." He waved a hand to emphasis his words.

"And you can't tell me anything?"

He shook his head slowly. "Not a single thing."

"Would it blow a hole in the universe?" She grinned at him cheekily.

"Perhaps..." he mused, "Then again, if there was hole blowing already happening, would it even matter if a spoiler or two slipped through?"

"I don't know, I'm not a thousand year old time lord."

"That's true."

"So, come on, tell me something."

The Doctor was silent for a long time. River thought he had forgotten what she had said and was about to ask him again, but then he spoke. "You have impeccable timing."

"Is that so?" She grinned back at him.

"It's not enough though," the Doctor added a little more seriously. He was silent for a moment, "You want to know more. I was like that, but you never told me." He poked her shoulder.

"Probably because it was me reversing this situation back on you. It can be quite frustrating; you'll just rattle off a comment or know exactly what I had for breakfast, a little comment like you know everything..."

She paused to stare at him, "And you do know me. And then in my future...you really won't know anything about me at all." She wondered what it would be like, the Doctor utterly clueless and her knowing it all. She wondered whether it seem so much of a mystery to him as it was to her currently. She slightly hoped so.

"Another paradox." He laughed loudly and she joined in. "You'd think we've got the vortex tied up into knots with the amount of those around!" A word in a certain place would end up rippling back to an event. A smile or a wink would mean something completely different when one would think back a few weeks, or even hours later.

Yet, they would always fall into place, and that place would always be waiting with the other standing there. A circle with no end. Somewhere out there, there would be a River Song meeting the Doctor for the first time, calling him 'pretty boy' and he would follow her through the maze of books in the Library. Somewhere out there would be a Doctor being brought back into the universe by Amy Pond's loud voice and a River Song's quiet memories.

Somewhere out there a Doctor would be stepping out of the TARDIS to a young River Song who would stumble into his arms. Somewhere out there would be a River Song sitting in her cell, promising to keep her own promise no matter what. Fezzes and other types of headgear would be shot, armies would fall, recues would be carried out, running, running and more running, a few tears would be shed, the universe would be saved and the TARDIS would be filled with laughter and romance.

* * *

Their story was watched as it permeated time, seeping in through the millennia, centuries, days, seconds.

It spanned from before Planet Zero until the stars grew cold and died leaving blackened lumps of rock as echoes.

Time watched the story of River Song and her Doctor.

Time watched the story of the Doctor and his River Song.

The tale of two star crossed lovers through time.

Old meeting young and young meeting old.

Unconventional. Impossible. Mad. Brilliant.

Never starting and never ending and always continuing.

* * *

_So, cannon shots to follow! :) _

_Reviews are always awesome because I love to hear from you, and constructive criticism is always welcomed._


	51. Your First Day Is My Last

_Hello everyone!_

_**WARNING: From now on, for future chapters, there may/may not be spoilers from the new series. (well...half series!)**_

_This would be set sometime...after The Big Bang and before the Time of Angels for the Doctor. Ponds are off on their honey moon._

_I just thought that at the end of The Day of the Moon it was really sad, and thought that there might be more. Also, taking the Doctor's POV for a bit here...because he must be very confuddled and finds things like these awkward – 'what do you do when girls cry?' springs to mind._

_Trying for *acceptance* here on both sides...my fingers are all crossed and feedback is extremely appreciated! _

_Doctor Who not mine, Noah and the Whale is not mine. _

* * *

_Well I know my death will not come,  
'Til I breathe all the air out my lungs,  
'Til my final tune is sung.  
That all is fleeting,  
Yeah, but all is good.  
And my love is my whole being,  
And I've shared what I could,  
But if you give a little love, you can get a little love of your own._

_Give A Little Love, Noah and the Whale_

* * *

Your First Day Is My Last

"River..." The Doctor called from his harness underneath the console room. He stared up at her through the glass floor, or ceiling, depending on which side you were on. He was wearing his chunky goggles he welded some circuits back together and sparks flew from the torch and scattered down onto the grating below.

"Hmmm?" River replied as she sat on the chair and tinkered with some sort of device from her pocket. It turned out, that she too had pockets that were bigger on the inside. Which sort of surprised him, and sort of didn't. Perhaps it should have...he wasn't sure these days or maybe it was just her.

"No, never mind," he said as he adjusted the goggles on his face and reached for the welding torch.

"Go on..."

He paused; his finger hovered over the on button. Then he replaced the welding torch on the floor and pushed the goggles up onto his forehead, his hair trapped underneath it and she smiled down at him.

"River...do you know, what's going to happen?" The Doctor asked slowly, dragging the words out as though he wasn't sure whether to ask or not. His eyes scrutinised her expression.

"Sorry?" She replied, a little confused.

"Happen? What's going to happen? You know, with us."

"My past is your future." She stated, before her mouth turned into a little smirk, "Of course I know what's going to happen. We run backwards and forwards Doctor, an absurd...relationship with equally absurd timings. I blame you for that; you never do turn up on time." She grinned, teasing him.

"_My past is your future,"_ he echoed her words, looking directly at her. "Works both ways. Do you know what's going to happen River? Have I told you any...spoilers?" He asked slowly.

She stared at him for a moment and then her mouth dropped open very slightly in shock. "I...didn't think...of it like that." She paused to regain her composure. There was silence in the room for a moment as she looked ahead, away from him and to the dimly lit time rotor. "No, you haven't said a word." She said quietly.

"Is that so?" He looked up at her, a twinkle in his eye which wasn't as bright as it could have been. An attempt to make things seem less serious than they were. Because if his future self hadn't told her any spoilers, then he certainly wouldn't tell her anything. His hearts suddenly became a little heavier with the weight. He knew that he would wave her goodbye and she wouldn't have an inkling about what would happen at the Library.

"Any reason?" She replied, smiling again. But this time it didn't quite reached her eyes. He noticed too. The unsaid spoiler, the hints of the future, her future, hung in the air.

The Doctor broke the silence, grinning back at her. "No, nothing to worry your pretty head about..." Then he clapped his hands, "But, isn't it all about living in the present?" He snapped his chunky goggles back on and then winced as it pinched the skin around his eyes. He knew not to say anything more.

River put down her scanner and leaned forwards to stare at him, as though she was looking straight through to him. "I never know which _you_ I meet. Every call, every trip, it can get so disorientating. Especially with you, you don't even know me. Sometimes I don't know which spoilers to give away, which ones to keep quiet." River continued on the same topic, much to his discomfort.

"I...can understand that. But you seem to have done a great job." He fiddled with his hands and looked at them closely, feeling her stare on his face.

"And you, you change your face. And you look at me, _you,_ now with your baby face, such green eyes and so young..." She paused, "You really don't know me. I thought it wouldn't be this difficult." She shook her head and shut her mouth. Lips tightly pressed, because he wasn't the Doctor to be told this. He hadn't a clue. About anything.

She wondered if she'd see _her _Doctor again, once more.

River watched him as she slowly walked to pick up her jacket. Her hand dragged across the TARDIS console, touching the monitor and lightly tracing the time rotor around. She never thought things would end like this. Her main fear was being forgotten by the Doctor, he would remain and she would leave. He would grow old and she would...die. But she knew she wasn't afraid of that.

He was so old, _her _Doctor. And she knew that he would keep on travelling, find new friends, and new enemies. Yes, she had been certain that she would eventually be forgotten. But this, with this Doctor, what he was implying. She suddenly understood.

_Your firsts are my lasts. _

She had meant that in a general term. It seemed like the first time she ran with him was in the maze of stone angels. First time she had kissed him, when they had thrown the Silents off Earth. First times...

_And...that turned around would make my lasts as your firsts._

She wondered if it was as general as she first thought it was. Or if it was a true as she now thought it was. First time she met him, so very long ago. And her last time... She never had imagined that he would not even know her. Not forgotten at all. Because how could you forget someone you didn't know in the first place?Whatever it was, it had already happened.

"I'm sorry," the Doctor said sympathetically, looking up at her and finding himself becoming flustered over the whole situation. "Do you want me to take you home? Somewhere else?" He looked as though he was wondering whether he had said too much but he didn't know what else to say. The potential badness of a great big spoiler revealed, when it shouldn't have.

River didn't like it. His words were unwelcome. She wanted things to stay the way they were forever. She could handle the Doctor not knowing everything about her. She could handle him staring at her like something to decipher. River shook her head, trying to fight away the thoughts of what she knew she couldn't handle.

"I live for these days, when I can run with you..." She smiled at him and this time it did reach her eyes, stretched her face so that it was open and her expression was light. "Doctor. Not quite yet _my_ Doctor, where are we going to next?"

"You want to choose?" He asked with a grin as hopped out of the harness and left it swinging behind him as he ran around to the stairs.

"No, your turn sweetie," she replied, leaning over to switch on the isopheric setting ready for flight. She picked up her jacket as shrugged it on before leaning past him, looking directly into his eyes as she flipped off the handbrake. He didn't contradict her actions and instead looked to the time rotor that was smoothly moving up and down at the centre of the console.

"I've heard that Tsoto is nice this time of year..." The Doctor looked back at her after a moment and grinned. Then he ran around like a madman sending them flying through the vortex to the red fields of Tsoto in the early Steampunk Era. "Steam powered spaceships whizzing around in the sky. How cool! You'll love it, I completely guarantee that!"

"And what about running?" River asked with a little smirk.

"Running?" The Doctor looked a little confused and then shook his head. "No, I'm not planning on it. A nice walk. What do you say River Song?" She could see the effort he was making, just for her.

"Sounds lovely Doctor." She tipped her head to the side in thanks.

They landed with a thud and the TARDIS spun a little as it hit the ground, leaving deeps grooves in the pale yellow mud. The Doctor was first onto his feet, outstretched a hand to help her up and then bounded down the ramp and after the door. River followed him out of the blue box and into the deep red light of the setting sun.

Because he didn't know her just yet, but he would. And _her _Doctor knew her completely. _He _wouldn't forget her. But he did know how things would end, because it would be his start. And then what would happen after that. Was this baby face Doctor, all young with a terrible dress sense the Doctor who she'd meet for the last time? Or would it be someone else? He had known all along and she wouldn't know until her time would come. The tables were turning once more.

And not for the first time, did River Song wish things were a little more linear because she wasn't sure how she'd be able to face the Doctor on that day with her whole story weighing down on her shoulders without him knowing any of it at all. It was accepting the end of it all, the end of running with the Doctor, what was the most difficult thing. Because when it all first began she had thought it would never end.

They went walking down the fields, the rows of burgundy plants swayed in the wind as they set off in the direction of the cliff-port. River took the Doctor's hand after a few moments and didn't let it go until they had wandered back to the TARDIS. He didn't mention it, and he didn't let go off her hand either.

Instead they laughed and chatted for the time. He spoke about how he had meet Shakespeare and with one handed gestures showed how the Bard _expelliarmed_ the Carrionites laughed along and told him about how she had visited the Great Crystal Coves, drawing out the scenery in the humid air with one hand.

Both marvelled at the gigantic steam powered space ships that chugged along above them in the dark red clouds, trailing behind white vapours from the metallic engine vents which streaked across the now dark black sky. They stood underneath the busy cliff-port and waved to a few excited first time travellers in their little port holes with their fingers interlocked together.

* * *

_Hopefully not so sad as before... :)_


	52. Of Questions and Handbrakes

_Yes, this is AU, but I couldn't resist, and after A Good Man Goes To War... with baby Melody crying because of the TARDIS noise. :D_

_And, I know I've already done this before...sort of...but I really couldn't help myself! _

* * *

Of Questions and Handbrakes

She stood in front of him, barely a teenager. He briefly wondered whether he was making a habit of becoming a childhood friend too often. But then she opened her mouth, bold as brass, and questioned him. _How did you get here? What's your name? Is that a box? I thought you were crashing, what happened? _

"_Who are you?", _was the first question she settled on.

"_I'm the Doctor," _he replied, his smile broad and wide, his silhouette backlit by the glow coming from the TARDIS windows.

Eyes don't change much about birth, and he couldn't see any of River's past drenched in her eyes. Because it was all in her future, here she was young. But there was still that open curiosity which made her eyes wide and bright. The promise of things to come. They had lit up when he had told her they'd be doing an _"awful lot of running."_

They had a little trouble, seems as though her kidnappers were not going to give her up so easily. But they ran, _the start of it all_. He thought it was brilliant. And felt a little smug that for once he knew a decent share of the spoilers. She had followed him and he smiled. He asked her to trust him, and then he snapped his fingers. The TARDIS doors swung open and she watched with her wide bright eyes as he walked inside, motioning for her to follow. She stepped in behind him with wide eyes, taking in the room which was just incredible.

"It's-" she started.

He finished off the sentence, "Bigger on the inside? Bluest of blue? Brilliant?" he asked as he raced around, readying for takeoff. "Yes," he grinned at her. "And so very cool."

The TARDIS' metallic groans filled the air and the whole room tipped from side to side. She grabbed onto the side of the railings with one hand and pressed the other onto her ear in an attempt to drown out the noise.

"What's wrong with it?" Melody Pond called over the din.

"Nothing, she always sounds like this, she's beautiful," the Doctor said as he spun around to pull some levers into place.

"I think she's broken."

"No, of course not!" He laughed and River shook her head.

"I don't think it should sound like this. Are we going to crash?" she asked, clutching onto the railing a little tighter.

"No," the Doctor shook his head and stumbled backwards. "You-" He pointed to her, "With the, not liking of the TARDIS noise- it's a brilliant noise."

"It's broken, isn't it?"

"No!"

"We're crashing, aren't we?

"Oh...quiet." The Doctor said quickly before pulling the screen around. He tilted it down so that she could see. "Look, when the line is all squiggly, then it means we're crashing because of the flight path being distracted or distorted. And when the line is all straight, then we're flying perfectly. And what's the line like now River?"

"The line's all squiggly," she stated plainly before deciding to use both hands to cling onto the side of the console.

"What!" The Doctor turned the monitor up so that he could see. "Oh." He looked at her nervously. "Oh." He repeated. Then he spun around and pointed at various parts of the console before turning back to her. "Oh!"

"We're crashing, aren't we." River stated this time, not asking but knowing.

"God knows why I'm telling you this, put that lever there." He pointed over his shoulder as he raced around to the other side of the console and began to type furiously into the typewriter.

River's hand hovered over a garishly red plastic lever, "This one?"

"No, the other silver one underneath it."

"Yes?"

"That...is the handbrake." He paused and looked up to her before shaking his head. "Just pull on it as hard as you can, you want it to click into place," he instructed.

"What are you doing?" She called back.

"An emergency stop in the time vortex. A tricky thing to do...but, I'd prefer this to being scattered all over the Middle Ages. That's the 7392th century's Middle Ages."

"Right..." River replied and tugged on the handbrake, not sure about what he meant but nevertheless carrying out instructions and making a mental notes to remember this exact lever because it could make the dreadful noise stop.

* * *

:D


	53. A Story Saved For A Sunny Day

_Updates may become more irregular, I'm working on an actual multichaptered fic._

_Thank you all who have reviewed, alerted and favourited. _XD

* * *

A Story Saved For A Sunny Day

_Sweet dreams baby, oh how long I must dream.  
-Roy Orbison-_

River sat down on the grass next to Anita, Catherine and pulled off her cardigan and dumped it down next to her. The sun warmed their faces. It was always sunny and the grass was always bright green. CAL liked sunny days. River had also found that the little girl loved stories. And not just stepping through them as she could with the databanks of the Library, but actually being told them. Catherine had pouted, telling her that Dr Moon never had any time to tell stories and that her dad only told her ones from the Library. She had whispered to River that she would have loved to hear new stories.

How could River have refused that?

So she sat in the warm summer sunshine, under the shade of a leafy oak tree and told them of a man that she knew very well. Of a story which had him as a main character alongside her. How he'd always love to be the hero. She told them of her first meeting with him.

"The man, the Doctor, in the blue box –_TARDIS_- he knew so much about me, When I saw him he stood there and rattled of things about me." She laughed a little at the memory.

"My name, date of birth, height, shoe size, my favourite colour, where I would keep her diary if I had one. What I wanted to be when I was older. Even the places that I wanted to visit."

"What was he like?" Anita asked quietly.

River grinned openly, "He was mad and impossible and beamed at her when he saw her. Just bounded up, said _"Hello River,"_ and then started babbling how he should have realised earlier, that I was the one to tell him to come, that he knew who I was now. I stared at him, not understanding a word, and then I managed to get one in edgeways and I asked him, _"Who are you?"_ and he just laughed."

"Really?" Catherine asked as she edged a little closer and watched River stare into space as she remembered.

River continued to recount their meeting, "His whole face lit up and I stared at him and wondered how he fell out of the sky."

She told the two of how it had puzzled her, to think she would have met him in her future. _This mad man, that blue box._

River told of how they did an awful lot of running. How he had whisked her off with relatively little difficulty, that is, considering the situation they were in, time after time after time. And then of course he tended to get himself into trouble, he tended to wander off a lot, fascinated by the littlest things, and often it was down to her to save the day. At the start of it all he saved her, and she ended up trusting him completely. He brought her home, and that meant everything to her.

Catherine had loved the story. She asked if River could tell her more, anything and everything. Anita had listened carefully and when Catherine ran off to play in the park she moved over to sit next to her friend.

"Was that all real, was it the truth?" Her eyebrows were pulled together, as though she needed conformation.

"Yes."

"Then, I'm so sorry." She wrapped an arm around River in an attempt to give some comfort, while her friend only looked back at her incredulously.

"There's nothing to be sorry about. This, me actually being here is just simply him all over. He could never let this go. I am surprised, he didn't know me. The Doctor you met in the Library. And yet, here I am." River smiled happily and patted Anita's arm. "Besides, I had a wonderful life. If I had to choose, I'd do it all over again without even a moment to consider the other option."

"Wow." Anita said in a little disbelief, and River nodded happily.

"I know."

"Well, then I think you'd better book me a seat, River, because I want to hear all about this. You know, I really did think you were something when you first turned up and announced that you were leading this team. And then we all did wonder who you were. You certainly do have a past."

"Oh, definitely." River smiled.

River sat under the shade of the leafy oak tree every afternoon and found herself with an audience to tell her tales to. Surprisingly, Catherine asked for bed time stories as well so fairly soon they became more than a daily occurrence. As she told her life story, she held her blue diary in her hands, her fingers brushing over the faded ink on the first pages and she smiled at the photos.

If anyone had visited the Great Library after the Download, then they would have found another file in the databanks. It would have recently updated too. Because Catherine had carefully filed away all of River's words from every single story she had told her and kept them secure and safe in her core databank where they would be stored for the rest of time.


	54. Another Life, Another Time

_Been a while, hasn't it?_

_Series 6 spoilers :D _

* * *

Another Life, Another Time

Melody Williams could have been a geography teacher. Melody Pond might have been a superhero. Her parents had been, will be and always are Amy Pond and Rory Williams. Dr Song had been an archaeologist. But she hadn't stopped at that either.

Amy was mostly right. "Melody Williams is a geography teacher." Melody Williams had a large globe on top of her desk in her classroom. She twirled it around every morning as she walked in. It would spin around noisily as she put her bags away. By the time she sat down it would have stopped and she would trace a finger over the plastic surface to see where she could go. She knew every country and had spun the globe enough times to visit each one twice. Or at least technically.

Today she landed on the large chunk of Europe and the whole land mass of Africa. She knows she could travel it for the rest of her life and there'd still be a beautiful sight left to see, a new friend to find, a town to wander around and a city to get lost in. And another infinite amount of things to see and find. Never ending and impossible. She thinks she would never want it to end, ever. She'd be a new person ever time with a new set of memories and perspective. Then she would be brought out of her wistful daydreams by the loud ringing of the bell and the shouts of children as they piled into her class.

It wasn't a difficult life, quite the opposite in fact. The days merged into weeks, weeks into months and then into years which passed like a cycle. Around and around until she looked down and the faces of the children were not as expected. Found that they had left her classroom half a decade ago. The slow life was just that. Slow enough that sometimes she forgot she was on it.

Not that she minded. Because Melody Pond was a dreamer. In her thoughts she was off in far flung places. She rowed a boat down a glistening river where the waves lapped against the sides of the wood and the clear blue sea reflected the bright warm sunlight. A lifetime of these daydreams lived in a swirl full of colour with the smell of pencil and stacks of paper at the edges.

Then again, Amy Pond wasn't far off when she said "Melody Pond is a superhero." A life with her parents and their best friend inside a big blue box with the whole of time and space just outside the front door. And as she grew up and her parents grew old, Melody Pond took up their place as a companion of the Doctor. What a life it could have been. Melody Pond travelling the stars with the Doctor, the last Time Lord, leaving behind a true fable. They became a myth on which planets were built on and people never forgot the two, mad, impossible brilliant people. The best kind of story there ever could be.

Dr Song was an archaeologist, in search for some truth to the lies her previous lives had been built upon. She was looking for a good man, and would keep searching until she found him. Although, while she searched, she was herself. Amazing. Just as he had told her to be. Knew that she was. River Song hadn't always been River Song. She had been a psychopath, trained from the very day she was born for one purpose only. To kill the Doctor. But deep in her DNA there was a whole universe full of potential lives that could have happened for her.

* * *

_I think Spoilers Sweetie is going to be rounding off in the next couple of chapters. With what we've found out, the guessing and the speculation has run out of steam as we now know the start of the story...but I have a few ideas half written and knocking about for this particular story. _

_Thank you for the favourites, alerts and reviews :) _


	55. She Knows All His Faces

_:)_

* * *

She knows all his faces

River smiles and then it grows a little wider as she flips over the next page of her diary. This one was full of his eleventh face. She looked at the largest photograph in the centre of the page, taken quite some time ago. A colour one, snapped with her own camera. He hadn't even noticed what she was doing until the flash went and he turned around a little startled.

She has to admit, she likes it when she surprises him. River also admitted she loved his face, wide eyed with his mouth just a little open and about to protest. Of course they laughed off the turn of phrase, but as she sits and studies the picture, she realises that her words were quite true.

Green eyes, ridiculous hair and how the photo was ever so slightly blurred as he turned towards her. Like she should expect him to fully turn around and face her before commenting; perhaps on her hair, most probably, on what kind of ridiculous adventure they were about to start. When she considers it, she decides it would be both.

Then there would be times when she stood beside him, on the same side of the line, with her head turned to watch him as he confronted someone, or something. It might have been an army, or a solitary man with a gun. Aliens and monsters which caused nightmares. And he'd stare at them, with eyes that burned with his whole past dancing in the flames. His mouth would be a thin line and wrinkles would crease his forehead as he thought of a plan. But his eyes, they would lock onto you and the person on the other side would stare back and they'd see exactly who he was. What he'd done. Why he wouldn't stop or give up. Some would turn away, others would run, the fools would step forwards.

And then there was fear. River knew that was the reason he had been stolen away from her parents. Because some of them were scared and lashed out. His was the face that she had known all her life. The one that struck fear in billions throughout the galaxy. The face she had been told never to be taken in by. The Oncoming Storm and the Destroyer of Worlds. Of the anger and the wrath of a Time Lord who had slaughtered so many. It was only after that she found he had that particular emotion etched into his face sometimes. The fear of losing someone. Of not being able to save someone. Whether it was her parents. Or herself. Or a complete stranger.

Now she knew better. She began to know him when he didn't know her. She knew him young and she knew him old both when he was just beginning to know her. She knew all his faces.


	56. Becoming River

_Thank you for the alerts, favourites and reviews. I'm so glad that people actually read this series._

* * *

"Lately I've started seeing,  
Things it takes a little faith to believe in,  
And it feels a little easier like you've got someone holding your hand."  
– Make it Better, Gary Nock-

* * *

Becoming River

It was one of the only times she had run from something so painful. Everything was tipping upside down and it still didn't seem wrong. It felt like she had lost her footing but couldn't quite back into stride. Every time she had regenerated, she always knew who and what she was. What she had to do. Now, she didn't even know where to go. She had left the university in the early hours of the morning, not being able to sleep or change the thoughts she kept thinking of. In some ways, the archaeology course had been a way to ground her, a new start to a new life.

But who was she now? Still Melody Pond? But then he kept on calling her River. This River Song he knew. As though she was everything to him. Or at the very least, something. Even though she had poisoned him and stood there watching him die, he looked up at her and gave a little smile. River used her stolen vortex manipulator to wander for a little while before deciding on Leadworth. After spending her recent history in the little sleepy town and growing up surrounded by stories of Amy's childhood dreams and her parent's friendship it did feel like the closest thing to a home.

Only, she had been a little hasty when inputting the coordinates and had overshot it a little. Winding up in a Leadworth which was there without them; or there were there, but in the Upper Leadworth cemetery that held their graves. There was a small headstone from their close family marking the spot. She stood in silence and decided that she wouldn't come back afterwards. They weren't her parents, not like this, dead and buried. Amy Pond was full of life and laughter. Bossy and Scottish. Rory was awkward and brave. She had known them for their entire lives and they had known her as Mels. Hardly anytime at all. Hardly her either.

The solicitor stood a little way of, dressed in black and wearing a solemn expression. "River Song? Melody Pond? I was told to give this to whoever came first." She would always be Melody Pond. Deep down under her skin, in her blood, the Melody Pond she was meant to be. River Song was as close as she could get. It would have been her personality if she had a normal Pond life in Leadworth with the occasional trip with her mother's childhood friend. But probably not for birthdays or Christmas because he had rubbish timing. The solicitor handed over a small brown paper wrapped parcel and walked away after giving a small nod of condolence.

When she looked down she noticed a white card attached to it on the top, a note in her father's handwriting; '_It's yours now, River. All of it.'_ Inside the parcel was her parent's blue diary. She stared at it for a moment, looking at how the pages were curled up in the corners, how the cover was ever so slightly battered and how the edges were a tad grubby from being held and turned. River sat down by their graveside by a clump of withered dandelions. She opened the book to the first page and began to read aloud quietly. A sort of bedtime story none of them had.

* * *

Paper and glue and colouring pencils have always been her safe haven, ever since she was seven and surrounded herself with pictures and paper dolls of her Raggedy Doctor. Amy Pond was not a child anymore, but the sound of pencil on paper was a small comfort to her now. She kept her hands busy so they wouldn't wring themselves, twitch impatiently, clench when the door was knocked upon by the postman or flutter down to her empty abdomen. She sat down at the small desk opposite her bed and fiddled with paper and string and a blue leather binding. With glue and tape, as though she could fix her life back up with them. She ended up making a blue diary, a TARDIS blue diary with crisp white pages ready to have a story told to them.

The Doctor visited her, two weeks after Demons Run, after her baby had been snatched away. She made him a cup of tea and put a plate of Jammy Dodgers in front of him. He crossed one leg over the other and then back again, looking past her and through the kitchen window. He commented on the weather and she told him Rory had gone food shopping. And they both kept skirting around the real issue, one not wanting to admit that Time was not bending to his will, the other not wanting to hear bad news and so was hoping no news at all would make her heart seem as though it wasn't made out of lead.

The diary lay drying on the counter top next to the toaster. Of course he would notice it, he noticed everything. But she didn't realise that he had until he stood, walked over and spoke. "What's that?" He fiddled a little with the clean blue cover and paused before folding his arms, tucking his hands underneath them. "Looks like River's, did she leave it here?"

Amy hurriedly snatched the diary and put it behind her back, "No, it's not River's. It's mine," she told him with grin. "Well, sort of-"

"It looks a lot like hers. But newer." He tipped his head to the side as Amy continued to talk, trying to ignore his interruptions.

"I liked the look of it, and the blue-"

"How can a diary be _sort of yours?_" The Doctor interrupted louder than before.

Amy sighed, "It's mine...and Rory's. Sort of," she repeated. "See, River has her diary, and it has everything written in there. All that time she's travelled with you, all the places she's seen and all the adventures she's had." Amy brought the blue diary out from behind her back and waved it in the air a little. "And she wrote it all down to keep track. With us, we want to keep the memories."

"Really?" The Doctor grinned back at her, "Like what?"

"Oh, there's loads of things. All of it really. I'm going to write about how I met you. How you have disgusting table manners."

He pulled a face, "New mouth, new rules Pond. And in my defence, I thought apples were a good idea. They sounded nice. You see, bananas are good, and oranges are handy dandy-"

"Anyway!" Amy said loudly and continued. "All of our adventures. And the start of Melody's too. Demon's Run was pretty big for all of us." The words were hanging in the air just waiting to be said, "_Have you found her yet? Where have you been? Any rumours of where she could be? They wouldn't hurt her, would they?"_

"What's Rory going to add in?" the Doctor asked curiously, filling in the heavy silence.

"He was the Last Centurion; he's got two millennia of things to write about." Amy replied haltingly.

He nodded enthusiastically, "Yes, Rory the Roman. He can tell Melody all about under floor heating and indoor gardens."

Amy batted the Doctor's arm, "Oi! She interjected!"

He carried on regardless, "Those Romans certainly knew how to landscape, an open roof garden and you can see the night sky when you look up. Though, he might want to miss out on-"

"The front door was open!" Rory shouted as he ran into the kitchen. "Have you found her? I ran all the way from the post office when I heard the TARDIS!" he said breathlessly as his eyes searched for someone who wasn't there. He dropped the shopping bag on the wooden chair as he caught his breath back.

"I haven't," the Doctor replied slowly, looking down at his feet and not being able to look up at him. "Not yet. I stopped for a quick update and a cup of tea."

"Oh." Rory replied and the room grew silent. Amy sat back down while Rory leaned against the doorframe and caught his breath back.

"I've been looking everywhere though." The Doctor added, "I'll keep looking."

"We know you will." Rory nodded his head encouragingly. "Do you want a biscuit with your tea?" he asked after a moment and the Doctor checked his watch before shaking his head.

The rest of the visit passed quickly, Amy questioned where he had searched and Rory stood in silence. The mugs of tea were left to cool on the table. Then the two Ponds walked the Doctor back to the TARDIS doors, arguing that they should come with him, but he only argued back, saying that they'd only slow him down.

"I just want her back." Amy said as he unlocked the bright blue doors.

"I know." He turned around to give the two a hug, patting their shoulders. "And you will have her back. I'll find her. Trust me Ponds."

"We do." Rory replied.

"Then it's only a matter of time."

* * *

River flicked through all the pages and ran her fingertips over the pictures and little scribbles. Enough to fill up a lifetime. She smiled at the recount of Venice and its vampires. How Rory had been deleted and brought back. That Amy had visited Vincent van Gogh. Of how Rory stood guard over the Pandorica for millennia. How Amy saw the Starship UK travelling on the back of a Starwhale. And every so often there was a mention of this River Song. _"River Song was standing among the clerics. River had escaped again."_

The mentions were short and sweet, _'spoilers' _no doubt, yet it was her future. Could be her future. After all what was there left for her? She had done what she was supposed to do. She had killed the Doctor. (Of course, she had saved him too, but that was beside the point.) And she had used up all her future regenerations. That had been one of the reasons for _her _being the weapon and being programmed to kill him. She would have had enough lives, enough tries, until the job was done.

The whole diary was full of the adventures of Amy, Rory and the Doctor. And they sounded like something out of a story book. They wrote about the Doctor in a positive light. That was completely the opposite of the past couple of years of her life. The Silence told her of the Destroyer of Words. Madame Kovarian taught her of the Trickster who fell out of the sky and murdered innocents and of the war that was being battled over time and space to save everything. All because of one man, one mad man. And the way he looked at her, eyes still bright as his hearts thudded slower and slower, because of what she could become. Even after she had poisoned him, sealed his death with a kiss. Of this River Song who could be good too.

Though it wasn't just the three time travellers who called her River. The TARDIS did too. The Doctor had called her a Child of the TARDIS and for a moment she was completely thrown because she didn't have much resemblance with the blue box. But, the doors opened to her touch and once she stepped inside she felt warm, like she had been drifting her whole life and found a piece of something which made up her home. The TARDIS spoke to her, told her things. That she was cross with her, that Mels had shot her, that her beautiful idiot was dying and it was all her fault. She disapproved of the Judas tree poison and flipped open a compartment under the console which inexplicably led to a far corner of space where the little lipstick tube would float there forever.

Then the TARDIS showed River how to fly her, how to lower the shields and how to park correctly with the handbrake on. As River walked, a little stunned, around the TARDIS console to answer Amy's calls for the Doctor, she felt a little smile. She heard a hiss of steam and a little whisper receding from somewhere deep inside the ship and somewhere so close she might have thought the TARDIS was speaking from right behind her. "Hello River Song. I'm so very pleased to meet you."

River closed the diary and put it inside her jacket pocket, next to her new ribbon wrapped one for safe keeping. It was all she could do for now, there would be a lot of time left to think. She stood slowly as a blue Police Box from 1963 Earth materialised noisily on the path at the bottom of the hill and then she ran towards it. The wooden door opened and he was there, wearing a red fez and a smile. "Hello River."

She didn't reply for a moment, the name was a little unfamiliar to her, like a brand new shoe which had to be worn in before it became as comfortable as it looked. "Hello Doctor." She walked a few steps closer so that she was leaning against the door frame opposite him; the wood was warm underneath her shoulder.

"I fixed the TARDIS, from where Mels shot her." He grinned openly.

"Good. I'm glad." She paused for a moment and then frowned. "Why are you?"

"Well, Amy and Rory are currently sunning it up on the Ice Beaches of Klompatour, and I was just rattling around a bit when I came across an old map of the flight plan of-" He stopped and shook his head. "Long story short, would you like a trip? Just a little trip mind, you're probably still a little tired and Pond One and Two will need to be picked up fairly soon."

River was silent and the Doctor stared at her with an amused sort of smile. "Well River Song? We could go see the stars? Sail through the Calian System and see the sun turn into a black hole? Or maybe it will supernova? I can't quite remember."

"Supernova." River told him, "It supernovas, and blows the system apart at the centre, with the planets on the outer edges spiralling away-"

"Like twigs floating on a lake." He finished off for her. "So?" He quirked an eyebrow and stepped back so that she could see into the TARDIS. River considers that she didn't even have to think longer than a second as she stepped into the console room, the blue doors closing shut being her softly.

"Oh, you and me, lots to see!" He pointed at her and raced up the steps to the console.

"I think I can imagine that." River replies as she watched him dance around the centre platform.

He had asked her before, _"Why didn't you shoot me in the field?"_ and her reply hadn't been a full one. Yes, it wouldn't have been polite as she was still getting to know him, and it was a little fun to crash land. But there was also the fact that when she looked at him, she could see Time. He was steeped in it. The Doctor, the man who tries to fix things and make them better, only others would also end up worse. He was seen throughout history with two faces. As the Destroyer of Worlds and a Trickster as well as a mighty warrior and the Lonely God. He could kill with a smile. The words he spoke were written down and people, races, whole civilisations were built up on them. The whole universe touched him at some point, in the past, present or future.

So her curiosity had gotten the better of her and instead of shooting him on sight, he got to live a little longer, spoke and ran for a few more minutes as she observed him. Then her training trickled through her slightly distracted thoughts._ "You are hope. The only hope in this war. The war against the Doctor. You do your duty, for the universe. Then it will be finally over. All the bloodshed, the bitter fighting. Before he kills us all. Before the ultimate question is asked."_

Because that was what it boiled down to, in the end. The reason for her being and his untimely death. To kill him because he would know the ultimate question. Many had asked it before, some human, others alien. But no one like the Doctor. No one who was partly of Time, who had the thrum of the last TARDIS in the back of their thoughts and two hearts of a non-existent race. No Time Lord who was woven into the university by their travelling and deeds, near escapes and deaths.

Apart from her.

She had begun her new start with a kiss, giving away her regenerations to him, the golden light streaming through the room in shining ribbons. And he had breathed, his hearts restart, he opened his eyes and smiled, alive again. She gave life, after causing death. With a breath she negated lifetimes of murder with intent. She knew afterwards that Silence fall and the bitter war would end as their weapon chose not to destroy, their fear for the Doctor was for all the right reasons. But he was worth it. She took the first step, unknowingly, in becoming River Song.

* * *

_Review please :)_


	57. you're right behind me as we fall

You're right behind me as we fall

The Doctor was feeling the weight of the world on his shoulders, today more so. It was beginning to weigh down his every step and it bothered her. "What is it?" River asked him, wondering why he didn't have a ridiculous hat to show off to her. She paused for a moment, looking at his young eyes and the way they couldn't meet hers entirely. "How far along are you sweetie?"

"The hotel. Well, it wasn't actually a hotel-" He began.

"The malfunctioning prison?" She asked as she flipped through her diary. "Oh, you said goodbye to them."

The Doctor nodded and then took in a deep breath. "You know, you could have had a normal life without my meddling too. There would never have been a war for you to fight in. You would never have been hurt, never been taken from your parents. River...I have caused so much to happen, and not any of it good, it's all been my fault."

There was silence. He looked at her, waiting for something. Perhaps for her to agree, for her to slap him, maybe for to leave because she looked stern and her smile had vanished, lips in a tight line. "I could have walked the entire earth, but never found you," she replied plainly. "This is my life. I wouldn't change it in any way. Because this is the way it has been, the way it is, and how it will be. Back to front, upside down, always running...and mine. I would never let anyone take it away from me. And they can't."

She paused for breath, still looking cross, but her voice was gentle. "Do you think you could have changed any of it? That you would have crashed into little young Amelia's life, promise to be back and then never return. Could you ever deny Amy Pond the chance to see the stars? You would say no to Rory Williams? Or every other companion or friend to step through the TARDIS doors? What would be so different about me in the end?"

"I am a selfish man River...I always have been. Look at me now. Look at what's happened. Everything I've done." He sounded world weary and sighed heavily, as though working his way up to persuade her. As if he had had enough. And she knew that she had to show him he was wrong.

"I can see you quite clearly Doctor."

"And?" He looked up, this time meeting her eyes. They were not as young as she first thought. But they weren't the eyes she was used to either.

"I can see you, you silly man. You brilliant man. There's nothing to change. Nothing at all. Keep your spoilers, and I'll keep mine and we'll meet again. You know how it works by now." She smiled and he stared back, eyes a little wide as though he couldn't believe what she was saying.

"River-" The Doctor swallowed noisily, words clogging up in his throat and sticking to each other. Refusing to be sounded aloud. The image of her wired up into the download chair at the Library had been burned into his brain. Not even the flash of the download could white it our so that he wouldn't have seen what she had done. The position he had put her in, of the weight of the future and the fact that he couldn't save them that one time. Or save her. The thought of her dying while knowing that he didn't know her pains him more now. It sticks to her name and burns in his chest.

"Doctor." She tipped her head to the side, a faint smile curling her mouth up. "Now then, I have a meeting with the probation panel. Something about a monster stalking the streets of old Earth Victorian London. A Jack, or a Jim, or maybe he was a John? They want me to catch him." She blinked, the name escaped her. "I wasn't paying much attention. I don't fancy any of them. Quite a stuffy old bunch."

"I could stop it, if you wanted me to." He told her quickly. "You, you know what my life is like. What happens to the people I...care about."

"Oh, shut up." She admonished lightly.

"I really could. I would. If you wanted me to. And this, us, right now, it would be swept away and rewritten by time. Your whole life. I could make it better for you. You'd never have met me. You could be Melody Pond, living with her parents. Living a happy life."

"I wouldn't want that."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive." She leant forwards to kiss his cheek and he shut his eyes as she whispered in his ear. "Don't you ever dare change a single line. I am River Song. I will always be River Song. Besides, you and me, do you ever think time would concede to being rewritten so that I would have a life without you? Not a single word, Doctor. Understand?"

He opened his eyes and rocked on the balls of his feet. "I promise." He looked down at his feet and nodded.

"Good." Her smile softened at his sheepish look and then grew. "I'll see you later then sweetie." She disappeared in a flash of light, using her vortex manipulator to space-hop away, leaving behind a metallic tang in the air.

"Yeah, you will." The Doctor replied to the empty space before turning around to walk back to the TARDIS, snapping his fingers. With a small smile as he passed through the open doors, he realised that there were something's which could never be rewritten. They were just meant to be and be lived.

* * *

_Watched the Wedding of River Song... :D ...very :D _

_Not sure how many ideas I have left, maybe around 5 chapters or less. _

_Please review! _


	58. Wild Things

_Penultimate chapter you lovely readers. Thanks for all the alerts, the favourites and reviews! _:D

* * *

Wild Things

"All the universe is your enemy. Your only companion is Time. Fear lingers in your shadow and Death follows behind. Doctor of a Thousand Patients. Words of Power. A thousand words of Knives. Lightning flashes across your brow, Oncoming Storm. There shall be a day when they catch you, and then they shall kill you. But first, constantly running, they much catch you." A Fortune Teller in the backstreets of Silver Point had clasped onto his arm and refused to let go.

The Doctor frowned at her, then tugged once more and she let go, making to move away. "That's a bit of an embellishment," he commented, a little startled at the torrent of words she had blasted at him.

River scoffed, leaning over his shoulder. "No, I don't think so. Sounds more like an abstract." She smiled at him while he pulled a face.

He shook his head in mirth at her. "_Archeologists_." It was becoming a running joke between them.

"_Time travellers_." She shrugged back at him.

The Fortune Teller paused, then turned around, her hooded eyes focused sharply on River and then stepped forwards. Her beads rattled and clanked around her neck. "And you...twist and change and flow just like water. Such a path carved out at such a young age."

River's smile vanished and her face became impassive but her emotion showed in her blunt tone. "All spoilers. I think you should leave."

The Fortune Teller continued, "Such a path, such a past. Such a future."

"Stop it." River said quietly, staring at her with angry eyes.

"We should leave." The Doctor turned his head away from her and tapped River's shoulder.

"With fire and light and the stars wrapped around you." The Fortune Teller added, staring intently. "The sky is a bluer version of the sea. Waves of stars around you. A Melodious Song."

River grabbed hold of the Doctor's jacket and began to drag him backwards. "We're going. Now."

"I can see that." He twisted around so that she wasn't strangling him as she pulled on his jacket. They started to run back to the TARDIS and were gone with a gear grinding, metal screeching sound and a gust of wind.

The Fortune Teller continued to ramble, oblivious to the departed party as leaves and dirt blew up in the air. "And such vicious cycles. The Woman who kills the Doctor? The Woman who marries the Doctor? The Woman who dies of broken hearts in blinding light. And she doesn't even know herself. Wild Things; the Pair who dance in the Fires of the Time Vortex."


	59. Of looking over shoulders

_What can I say? End of series 6 and a lot of things that can be written about now it's cannon. I...er...fiddled with a kind of style here. Not too sure of how it reads, (hopefully well!) _

_Thank you for all the alerts and favourites and reviews :)_

_This chapter, like so many others in this series, is AU. Nice way to end it, eh?_

* * *

Of looking over shoulders

She considers it silly now, to think they had let her escape from their clutches. As if she could have walked away from such an elaborate, well thought out, desperate plan. Sometimes she stops to wonder why she found herself in such a position. But then again, she knows she will never find it. _(The act itself is passed off as her own thought, her idea, her plan. So simple. Weapon, what weapon? The Doctor needs to die. A kiss of death, how fitting for the man who snares so many with a web of lies and false pretences.)_

They had watched her, ever since she had escaped out of that horrid space suit. Sometimes she remembers being so very, very scared. Sometimes, when she thinks back, there are vast swathes of time that she simply cannot remember. But there are some things that she does. She remembers her own voice calling out to the darkness, "Help me! Somebody! The Spaceman's coming to eat me!" And then catches her own reflection in a puddle, a glass window, someone else's eyes. _(The Spaceman's already eaten. All full up.) _Amy Pond looked at her in fear, and Melody Pond desperately wanted her mother's arms around her, instead of the skin of the Spaceman tightening around her, suffocatingly close.

When she walked up the steps in the old orphanage, there were words written in a viscous red liquid along the walls. "GET OUT GET OUT NOW! LEAVE! GET OUT!" She had only thought it had been the mad old man who brought her food getting madder by the day. _(She never noticed the small dented paint tin under her bed. The Silence made sure of that.) _They had adjusted, deleted, fiddled with, twisted and deformed her memories for so long. Some days she would blink and wonder if the rest of the world; ticking, turning, living, loving, was a dream.

And then in the dirty back alleyways of New York she had died a death, and then regenerated, (painful, burning light, turning her inside out and changing everything. Skin stretched, eyes burned, muscles ached. The only constant was the voice inside her head; "Kill the Doctor. Strike him down. End the war!" _(In time, she thinks it is her own.)_

When she ended up in Leadworth, she wondered _how?_ But then she spotted them, little Amelia with her big words, her drawings and her loud Scottish voice with Rory standing behind her. Where else would she go? Sometimes, River felt so tired and wanted to go home. _(Home, where exactly was that?) _

Once, she finds herself behind the wheel of a bus, her hearts thrumming and the words "GET OUT, ESCAPE! RUN!", floating somewhere in the back of her mind. "What?" She says aloud as a policeman flashes a torchlight in her face before she shakes her head and puts on a wicked smile. "Hello there officer. Nice evening, isn't it? You can see all the stars, pretty aren't they? I can see you're not going to let this pass. Bet you would if I was the Doctor. The good old Doctor." She grins a little wider as he slaps on the handcuffs. _(As if they could lock her up.)_

Later, in her final meeting with him, _(she knows her end is coming soon, and it's his start, because he hardly knows her,)_ this patchy, brightly spotted, treasured hindsight seems like a gift. Or something akin to a gift. She can slowly see her life fit in, to a certain extent_. (Some things she will never be able to remember. Her murdering him, even though it wasn't him or **wouldn't be him**, would haunt her till the day she died.) _She can look over her shoulder and watch it all fall into place. She knows of the future and feels the ghosts of smiles move her mouth. In some way, looking backwards, to him, is seeing the future.

She placed a hand on his face, "Look at you. You're _young."_

He stared back at her with wide eyes, looking at her hand almost caressing his face. And she couldn't do anything but pull it back.

"I'm really not, you know." She hadn't seen this Doctor before. He seemed quite young. Fresh faced, brown hair all spiky and glasses. If she had known any better, he would have said something ridiculous like _glasses are cool! _Just for the sake of it. Just to annoy her. To make her shake her head.

She studied his face, wondering just how young he could be. "No, but you are. You're eyes..." There was no recognition in them. And _oh, _there was always recognition. Whether it was in a smirk, or a smile, a twinkle, or a nervous glance. Sometimes, and more often lately, he had been observing her back, watching her movements, picking apart her words for clues, because he wasn't sure of who she was. But always, he knew something.

He would smile, and say that he trusted her. Not quite her Doctor, but the Doctor, always. The man who she would tear apart the cosmos for, damn the universe as an afterthought. Now...he simply looked confused. "You're younger than I've ever seen you before." She told him, clenching her hand by her side. Not _her _Doctor.

His next words broke her heart. If the sound wasn't an impossible one, it would have sounded like the world around her had splintered like glass. A coldness left goosebumps over her skin and she blinked. "You've seen me before, then?" And his face, like she confused him. She knew the day was coming. That one day that he would meet her for the very first time.

She never thought it would be like this. Feel like this. It was torturous.

"Doctor...please, tell me you know who I am." It felt like she was pleading. (_But to whom? Him? The TARDIS? Fate?) _Desperation tinged her voice and leaked out onto her face. Normally she was so very good at hiding it. But she didn't want to know the truth. She wanted to know that he knew her. That they were married. That they ran across the glittering cosmos hand in hand. That they always would.

"Who are you?" His face was so blank. No spoilers. Nothing to know. Nothing ever known. He had never set eyes upon her. Or been subjected to teases of spoilers. Or trying to wheedle spoilers out of her. Or even teasing her about things in her future. He didn't _know_ her. Who she was. Who they were.

She couldn't help lean away. A combination of shock and sadness. _My time is coming to an end. A life without the Doctor, without my Doctor. _Because she had died before, once, twice, three times.

_(...But this was a fate worse than death.)_

"One day Doctor, I'm going to be someone that you trust." She would smile at the thought, but her mouth refuses to cooperate. After all, he doesn't trust her now. When she whispers those words in his ear, to force that trust onto him, she feels like she's doing something so wrong. It shouldn't have been like this, his first meeting.

Then when Anita stifles her shock as she realises that she has two shadows, she tells her, "Just keep it together, okay?" (_What else can she do now but keep on moving. Further away from him. To the farthest point either of them will ever know. She had always known about him, had it whispered in her ear. Told stories of a madman who fixed a crack in her best friend's room. The Doctor. But he hadn't always known her.) _She continued on, doing what she had to do. What she must do. For the sake of timelines, and for the sake of herself, knowing that if she paused for too long, then she might just break down and refuse to continue.

They argued. They would always argue. Little words of banter exchanged or full blown arguments. There would be times when she would fume. He would glare in anger. "Nobody can open the TARDIS by snapping their fingers. It doesn't work like that." He seemed miffed, as though she knew something he didn't. The last few times they had met, he acted as though her knowledge and her spoilers was something wrong. For once the shoe was on the other foot and she was the person who knew it all.

"It does for the Doctor." Was what she could say to him. He frowned in annoyance, the creases in his forehead showing the words he was thinking, _what kind of an answer is that? _

"I _am _the Doctor."

She looked at him, he with so very young eyes. "Someday." (_Perhaps someday soon. Perhaps it would be in a few hours. Maybe in a year? But **definitely** someday.)_

Then they were smiling. The blue waves of the gravity platform tinting the air around them. "Bet I like you." He grinned at her.

"Oh, you do." And she smiled back.

And then there was hate. She told him plainly. His harebrained plan, something which she was sure would never work. Couldn't work. "I hate you sometimes."

"I know!" He called back, turned away from her. He didn't have a single clue. (_There had been days when the hate coursed through her veins, as Madame Kovarian whispered the deeds of the Doctor in her ear. Like poison.)_

She never did imagine her comforting him before her own death. That was something she wouldn't have been able to guess. She might have thought she would die because of her past, or her enemies, or even because she had not ran fast enough. She never ever imagined that it would be to preserve her own timeline. Their timeline. "It's okay. It's not over for you. You've got all that to come. You and me. Time and space. You watch us run!"

(_It was the truth. So plain and beautiful. She would die here and now, but he would walk on forwards to meet her. He had to walk on forwards to meet her. No ifs, not buts. Only acceptance. And it came willingly for once. River could remember a time when she would have gladly torn the universe apart, just to save him.) _

She never saw him with her diary in his hands. Not with the pages full of words and their lives. "Come on, next chapter's this way." The Doctor told Donna as they were about to leave. Then things changed. He really was _her _Doctor. Or rather more close to him than she believed before. "Come on! You and me. One last run!"

The next chapter had began, and it was filled with more running, more spoilers, more laughter and more love than the one before. Her entire past spread out for them to run through.

"Hello River." The Doctor said as he stood in the doorway. He spoke quietly and she ushered him out, watching his face. She knew not to be so hopeful. CAL was quite resourceful and wanted to help, yet she was only a child and didn't realise that she couldn't.

"And what sort of time do you call this, sweetie?" River asked as she sat down next to him on the top of the landing stairs.

"I know. I'm sorry. It took me a while. After all, there was a lot of running to be done. All those pages," he traced a finger over her blue diary, "to be filled."

"I think you did a pretty good job." She leaned into his side and he leaned back. "Doctor, are you really here?"

"Yes. Silence fell. The question was asked, and I answered it. How could I not?" He sighed heavily.

"I'm surprised that you're here though. How-" River wondered aloud but he cut her off with the answer.

"Security protocol two." He grinned. "_Til death do us part_?" Then he scoffed. "Silly humans. No, just a brief separation until we could meet again. That's the real way to do it." He tapped her cheek.

"I'm glad you're here." She told him truthfully. (_She had been so lonely without him.)_

"I'm glad too. Now then Professor." He stood up. "Would you like to explore the Wilderness of the Satim Leagues. I do have to warn you, they have the most breathtaking scenery." He paused and frowned. "Well, second compared to you."

"Flattery...will get you nowhere." She replied as she took his outstretched hand. The room melted away from around them as CAL slowly built up the image of the blue TARDIS in her Library's main reception.

"Is that so?" The Doctor grinned as he opened the doors and they ran inside, the interior brightly lit up and the engines thrumming, ready to fly off to the far edges of the universe. The blue box dematerialised quickly, off into the time vortex and CAL watched a new story being written. One which was better than any that had been written before.

There wasn't any catching up. No looking over shoulders to see what had been done. There were no more spoilers either.(_Only looking forwards. One and one with the same knowledge.)_ The future and the past and everything in between was done. So now, it was just living and running. And they would run for so much longer, with the whole of Time and Space.

River Song and the Doctor together in tandem at last.

* * *

_The End_

_Please do leave a review, I did end up putting a lot of time into this and it'd be nice to hear what you thought :D _


End file.
